Velvet Sins
by Elevated-Eden
Summary: Gogo's ultimate story. Rated for hardboiled violence, explicit language, sexuality and making it all look cool. New: Chapter 13, 'New Deal! I'm giving away chapters like fresh cookies, guys!
1. Old friends and new enemies

Gogo clenched her fists, waking up on the hospital bed. The sheets seemed so tight, that she was hardly even able to breathe. Her brown eyes were still closed. She didn't want to raise any attention.  
  
The nurse was fiddling around the computer beside the bed. Gogo smiled, she still was able to sense people around her, without using her eyes.  
  
The nurse was humming a catchy tune she had probably heard minutes ago. The young assassin even liked it – it relaxed her. Furthermore, the nurse was too focused on her singing to notice Gogo slightly lifting her eyelids.  
  
To her eyes, a small room revealed itself. There were two other patients in it and Gogo instantly recognized Itzuka and Jujoro – members of that weird gang, who always followed her around. She had always hated them.  
  
Her feet were slightly numb, but the feeling was wearing off fast. Another couple of minutes, and she could jump at that stupid nurse, taking her by surprise.  
  
"Ta-ta-ta-da-da...dada-ta-ta-ta-da-da..." The young hospital assistant was singing softly.  
  
Gogo smiled. Perhaps she wouldn't even kill her, just knock her out – that would be enough. She agreed with her idea and slowly started moving her feet. Amazingly, they were quite obedient and she was soon working on her legs.  
  
She slowly lifted and pressed back her knees. It didn't work right away but after a few seconds her knees were also submissive to her ideas. She smiled, satisfied with her body functions.  
  
The staff didn't even strap her to the bed, seriously underestimating how dangerous she was – even without any weapons. The schoolgirl outfit must have had the doctors mistake her for the poor victim.  
  
Gogo stopped her thoughts for a second. In a way, she really was the victim. She almost had that blonde, but the excitement of killing the most dangerous woman alive made her forget about the surroundings.  
  
She silently yelped, remembering the pain, as the nails hit her foot and then buried themselves in the back of her head. Blood ran out of her eyes and she instantly went out cold.  
  
Luckily, it was just a reflex – her training taught her body how to deal with wounds. She woke up, just able to see the Bride walking out of the joint, her clothes soaked with blood and a half-dead Sofi, being dragged along.  
  
Next, for what seemed like an eternity, she crawled. She crawled past the dead bodies of O-Ren's gang and past even more bodies of them until she found a telephone. With her last remaining strength she called the hospital and then fell unconscious for the second time.  
  
Slowly, Gogo fully opened her eyes and noiselessly rose up from the bed. The nurse had her back turned to her, and Gogo stood up from her bed, as silent as a cat, without the nurse hearing or seeing anything.  
  
Then all happened very fast. Gogo put her arm on the nurse's throat in a choking stance and pulled her back with great force. The young woman fell onto her back as the assassin let go of her.  
  
Gogo then pressed her foot down hard on the woman's chest, robbing her of air. The nurse's face went blue and her body went motionless. Gogo hadn't meant to kill her, and she would probably survive that hit, if given medical care soon.  
  
The young assassin proceeded to take her clothes off and put on the nurses uniform instead. That way she wouldn't create any suspicion. The clothes were a bit too big, but Gogo didn't plan on wearing them permanently anyway.  
  
She exited the room, remaining as calm as possible. A few doctors awarded her with some nasty looks, directed to her behind. But Gogo couldn't waste her time on dealing with them – she had to get out and find a place where she could think over her next steps.  
  
Soon, she was already outside, inhaling the cool, and relatively fresh summer air. She breathed out, smirking slightly at the thought that she had big plans for her future. Really big plans...  
  
-  
  
Setsuro felt ill, looking at his friends boozing down vodka like it was orange juice. He inhaled some smoke and put out the stub in the ashtray in front of him.  
  
The bar was completely packed with drunken teens, seemingly having a good time. The radio was playing some teen-idol crap – Satsuro never got the point in that show. To him it was something invented for fat kids to watch and forget about their private lives, if they in fact had ever existed.  
  
He stood up and walked out of the joint, a few of the girls looking at him with a strong sense of longing in their eyes. He looked very fit for his 17 years, but his body was still slim. His grey eyes always seemed too distant to reach. Plus he was more than adept at martial arts.  
  
Too immaculate for life, that's how he always felt himself. He admitted liking the looks that girls gave him but at times it was more nerving than pleasing. Other than that, Satsuro had never believed in love. To him, the meaning of the word had been so perverted that it was merely an excuse for couples to fuck rather than a true expression of inner feelings.  
  
The Tokyo streets were lid up, stinging with brightness. Satsuro was pleased to get away from his clique – he never enjoyed spending time with them. They were fun to hang out with sometimes, but never more.  
  
He put his hands in the pockets of his grey pants and started walking. His grey attire looked actually quite weird amongst all the bright clothing of his contemporaries. But he always liked being different – even concerning vesture. Besides he liked grey – it resembled his mood like no other color.  
  
Satsuro went on, passing all the nightclubs and stores until finally reaching a small flower field. He was on the edge of town, a place he often visited. He caressed the field with his hands, reaching for the flowers as he walked to a small barn house at the end of the field.  
  
He climbed onto the tree beside it and swung in through one of the windows. The barn was abandoned years ago and nobody ever bothered destroying it. So Satsuro decided to hide his treasure there, a samurai sword – the only thing he loved with all his heart.  
  
He stroked the sharp metal softly as he pulled it slowly out of its sheath. The crystal clean blade reflected his delighted face. Satsuro got out through the window and held out the sword in front of him, the tall grass caressing his legs.  
  
He stroke out and twisted his body around, bringing the sword up high and then rapidly slicing downward. He then grasped the handle with both hands and started spinning his body, pointing the sword into the moonlight lit sky. It revolved around a small point, but Satsuro never lost his balance.  
  
He abruptly stopped, his brain trying to focus on a particular spot and within a second his vision was clear again. He had trained a lot with Master Nei, but after he passed away Satsuro was on his own.  
  
He went on with his practice, which looked more like an exuberantly enchanting dance than like a fierce battle exercise. His movements were at times quick and precise, at times slow and concentrated.  
  
Satsuro was finally living again. He was in a state of complete pacification – a trance even. Every movement was giving him pleasure and every breath of the flower field's bouquet made his senses shiver with delight.  
  
Deep inside, Satsuro already knew he could never lead a normal life. It would never be enough for him. He was destined to be different and he liked that. He had often thought about his future, during his practice. But it was that night when Satsuro decided he would even be willing to kill another person. He would become an assassin – the most feared of them all: Satsuro Retsuja.  
  
-  
  
Renee Wright was an adopted child of an American couple, living in Japan. She fluently spoke both languages since her childhood and so grew up with a lot of advantages.  
  
For instance, she soon made friends with the much younger Sofi Fatale, an absolute prodigy in linguistics, perfectly speaking Japanese, English, French, Spanish and dozens more since the age of 10.  
  
Renee was a close friend of an O-Ren-Ishii since her childhood and she was the one who introduced Sofi to her. Renee was always considered a friend of O-Ren's group. Gogo was standing in front of her small house in the outskirts of Tokyo.  
  
The middle-aged woman didn't believe her eyes at first but soon regained her senses and hugged Gogo tightly.  
  
"Gogo! I'm so happy to see you." She said, tears forming in her blue eyes.  
  
She grasped Gogo's hand and led her inside the house. It looked very cozy, a dark red ambience dominating the domicile.  
  
"The place is a mess, right now. Excuse the disorder, dear." Renee said, pulling her hair together in a ponytail.  
  
"It's fine, Renee. I like the atmosphere in here, it's relaxing." Gogo said with a soothing voice that made Renee smile.  
  
"My dear, I'm so glad you're still alive. O-Ren she..." Renee paused for a second, desperately trying to hod back her tears.  
  
"I know." Gogo said, bowing her head slightly.  
  
The two stood silent for a few moments.  
  
"I'm sure you're hungry, I'll go and cook up something for you." Renee said, stroking through Gogo's long hair.  
  
"Take a shower, and go get yourself some clothes out of the drawer by the bed. I'm sure you'll like them." Renee said, heading for the kitchen.  
  
Gogo nodded and went up the stairs to the bathroom.  
  
The water hammered down on her head with fury, and Gogo moaned with pleasure as the water tardily covered every part of her body. She massaged her hair, cleansing out all of the blood that still remained on her skin.  
  
Gogo wrapped a towel around her body before she walked out of the bathroom and opened the door to Renee's chambre.  
  
She pulled out one of the drawers and put all the raiment on the bed. Her eyes swiftly turned to a black, leather vestment. She released the towel, dropping it to the floor beside her legs and put the latex suit on her naked body.  
  
It fit her with astonishing precision. The suit evolved tightly around her waist and breasts, stressing the most beautiful parts of her body. She walked over to the mirror and chuckled slightly, gazing at her reflection.  
  
"Great, now every last guy in Tokyo will want to fuck me instantly." She said, still unsure about her choice. But with a wave of her hand, she accepted and returned the other clothes to the drawer.  
  
She came back to the bathroom, placing the towel back to where it belonged and looked at her face in the mirror. She quickly fetched some of Renee's make-up and mascara.  
  
She applied the make-up and lipstick to her eyes and lips and put some mascara on her lashes, making her look even more attractive to any procreative man.  
  
As she returned to Renee, who had already served her some breakfast, she made the woman almost stumble over her own feet.  
  
"Are you sure?" Renee asked, slowly emphasizing every word.  
  
Gogo put her hand to her mouth and giggled slightly. "I know, but it allows free movement of my arms and legs – ideal for combat."  
  
"Yeah, it also will make every old bag on the street want to twitch your ass." Renee said and both laughed, imagining Gogo fighting off Tokyo seniors.  
  
The girl sat down at the kitchen table and started dining on the fish salad that Renee had made. Renee sat on the chair opposite from her.  
  
"So, what are your plans Gogo?" She asked the girl with a worried expression on her face.  
  
Gogo took a break and swallowed down her last bite. "I need your help, Renee." The girl sounded serious.  
  
"Of course, anything."  
  
"Who has taken O-Ren's place?" Gogo asked and Renee's face turned pale.  
  
"No, please my dear, don't do it." She pleaded to the young assassin.  
  
Gogo smiled and ate her remaining meal in silence.  
  
She then gently cleaned her mouth with a small cloth and sat back in her chair.  
  
"Do you have any cigarettes in this house?" She asked and Renee got up from her chair.  
  
She opened one of the bottom drawers at the kitchen and returned to the table with a pack in her hand.  
  
"It's bad for you, Gogo." She said smiling and put the cigarettes on the table next to the girl.  
  
Gogo took one and Renee lit it with her lighter.  
  
"You have to trust me. I need to know who is the chairman at the moment." She said, her eyes focused on Renee's concerned face.  
  
"Hakata." Renee said, picking up Gogo's dish and walking over to the sink.  
  
Gogo remembered him. He was a fat, ugly faced guy who always had dozens of bodyguards following him around. He was a freak for security and that for a good reason – there wasn't one soul in Tokyo who didn't want him dead.  
  
The young girl knew too well that he would be impossible to track down and kill so easily. This task was a big one. But Gogo already had some ideas.  
  
"Renee, do you still have contact with the six bosses?" She asked, inhaling her cigarette.  
  
"Yes, of course. Boss Kisaru is still a close friend of mine." Renee replied, still washing Gogo's dish.  
  
"I want to work for him." Gogo stated bluntly and Renee almost dropped the plate she was holding.  
  
"What?" She asked, her body standing motionless.  
  
Gogo put out her cigarette and rose from her stool. "I want to work for Kisaru – it's the only way."  
  
Renee dried her hands with a towel and turned around to the young girl, who seemed desperate to die the quickest way possible.  
  
"Gogo, my dear, you don't have to do this. O-Ren is dead and you are alone in there. Who knows what they will do to you." She sounded like a worried mother.  
  
"It's too late to come saving me." Gogo said. She walked over to the older woman and put her hands on Renee's shoulders.  
  
"It's not your fault. You were always kind to me. But I can't be normal. There is no way I can live my life and have a normal family. I have killed, Renee. I have killed men and women, of all ages. Never will I be able to be a mother, picking up her kids after school and watching them marry. I have no choice."  
  
Renee nodded. "I understand."  
  
-  
  
When Satsuro returned to his house, it was already morning. He was just about to insert the key into the door when somebody called his name. Satsuro turned around and saw a tall man, dressed in white clothes and a black bandana around his head.  
  
"Satsuro, I presume." The man said, approaching the young man.  
  
"Yes, your presumptions prove themselves right." Satsuro joked, wondering what this strange man wanted from him.  
  
"Don't bother opening that door, there's nothing good in there." The tall man said.  
  
Satsuro shook his head with a grin. "Last time I looked, my parents were in there, fighting over the TV."  
  
"Last time I looked, they were both dead."  
  
Satsuro's face went as pale as snow as his eyes glared up with anger.  
  
"What the hell are you saying?"  
  
"I said there's nothing good in there for you to see."  
  
Rapidly, Satsuro turned around and kicked his house door in. It was silent – nobody replied to the loud noise. The young man grazed through the corridor of his house until he found them.  
  
A pool of blood was on the living room floor. His father was sitting on his chair, his chest opened up like a coffer. His mother was on the floor beside him, her face turned down and Satsuro could barely see the two bullet wounds on her head.  
  
"We did this for a reason, Satsuro." The tall man's voice resonated from behind.  
  
Satsuro turned around and saw the man draw a long, sharp blade from his back. He had killed them, and he was standing right in front of him.  
  
"There is no choice for you to make, there never was."  
  
"You killed my parents." Satsuro's voice was as sharp as the blade's edge.  
  
"They weren't your parents and you know that." The tall man said, smirking.  
  
"I'll kill you for this, and then I'll make you swallow your own heart after you tell me your bosses name."  
  
The white-garbed man laughed. He was laughing Satsuro in the face. Before he knew it, his emotions took control over his body and he tossed his fist to the man's jaw, missing it by millimeters as the man dodged his attack easily.  
  
His elbow hit Satsuro's face with brutal force, bringing him to the ground as blood ran out of his nose and came out of his mouth with a cough.  
  
"You almost hit me there, boy. You're talented but still a little impulsive. Don't worry, we'll work on that." The man said, evading Satsuro's foot as he tried to sweep him from the floor.  
  
His foot buried itself in the young boy's stomach, rendering him unconscious. He lifted him upon his shoulder and dragged him to his car that was parked right in front of the house.  
  
He picked up a phone and dialed a long number, patiently awaiting the person on the other end.  
  
"Hakata? Yes, I got the boy. I still don't understand how you'll get him working for you. Yes, I understand. Right away."  
  
He hung up the phone and started the car, Satsuro still laying unconscious on the back seat. "Your father will be glad to see you, Retsuja. 


	2. Gogo meets Satsuro

Gogo Yubari always felt an obsession with weapons. Ever since O-Ren had taught her how to hold a samurai blade, all she could think of was the weapon and its divine beauty.  
  
She was standing in Renee's basement, a small, dark room and the older woman was holding a dark sheath with both her hands. Gogo slowly put both her palms forward and Renee let the sheath glide onto them.  
  
Gogo grasped the handle with caution and subtly let it slide out of the sheath. The blade reflected her face as she pulled it out. She held it forward, her hands tightly clamping the handle.  
  
"It's beautiful." She said feeling charmed by the weapon.  
  
Renee smiled lightly. "I thought your instrument was the chain."  
  
Gogo smirked. "Yeah, but swords have much more elegancy to them."  
  
She stopped for a second and turned her face towards Renee.  
  
"I need a weapon." She said, giving the woman a pleading glance.  
  
The older woman sighed. "Take it, it was a gift from O-Ren and I never used it anyway." She resigned to young Yubari's wishes.  
  
The two returned to the living room and Renee grabbed hold of a phone, placed next to a flower vase.  
  
"I'll call Kisaru." She said, once more turning slightly sad of the thought of Gogo working for the Yakuza.  
  
"You think he'll accept?" Gogo asked with curiosity.  
  
"I'm sure he'll wet himself first. But then he'll accept." Renee laughed.  
  
She abruptly stopped when she heard a rough voice on the other end.  
  
"Kisaru-san? Yes...yes Renee. How are you? Really...I'm glad for you. I'd hate to bother you but a dear friend of mine has arrived at my house this morning and she would love to meet you soon. Her name is Gogo..."  
  
Renee couldn't even sense Kisaru breathing into the phone anymore – Gogo's name had quite the desired effect.  
  
"What? Yes, Yubari. No she's not. I'm sure: she's standing right in front of me. So you're accepting the offer?"  
  
Kisaru let out such a yell that Renee had to hold the phone out at range, not to turn deaf. She put her hand on the microphone.  
  
"As I said, he's more than happy about this, Gogo." She said, getting bored with Kisaru's passion for young girls. She then returned to Kisaru, quickly set the meeting point and put the phone on-hook.  
  
"You know what you're getting yourself into, right?" Renee said, putting her left hand on the young girl's head and stroking her fingers through her dark hair.  
  
"I can take on his whole shitty gang at once, don't worry. I only need him to get to Hakata. And then you'll probably be seeing the bastards kissing my feet on a daily basis." Gogo stated, once again calming Renee down.  
  
After the two had bid each other farewell, Gogo took the sword and walked out of the house in her new outfit, already drawing some sight of a passing gang of teens.  
  
"Soon, very soon, you pricks won't even dare to think about looking at me." Gogo silently said, as she walked over to Renee's car. She plugged in the key that Renee gave her earlier and drove off.  
  
-  
  
The water that flew out of the bucket into Satsuro's face was ice cold. His body shrugged as the young man instantly woke up and saw that he was chained to a wall, with his jacket and shirt stripped off.  
  
"You made quite the impression on Romeo, you know that boy?" An acrid voice sounded from behind him.  
  
The proud owner of the voice presented himself to Satsuro. The boy could see a fat, disgustingly smelling man, choking on a cigar that had more personality to it than the man himself.  
  
"And you should know it's pretty hard to impress a fucker like him – he's seen the best." The man continued his lecture.  
  
Satsuro felt a strange sensation in his body. He slowly realized that he didn't feel any pain what so ever, even though his arms and chest looked badly hurt. They drugged him with something, perhaps some painkiller.  
  
"I always knew that my genes were special. And you're a living example for it." The man laughed as the cigar fell out of his mouth.  
  
Satsuro was trying not to listen to what the man was telling him. He couldn't believe that after all these years, this fucker presented him with the fact of being his father and was thinking he could get away with killing the people who raised him his entire life.  
  
"Won't you even look at your daddy, boy?" The fat creature in front of him asked, laughing vigorously.  
  
The young man raised his head and spat as much as he could right into his father's face. The man wiped his face in disgust and picked up the slightly glowing cigar. For the next few minutes, all he did was slowly burn up Satsuro's chest.  
  
Even the painkiller couldn't prevent the young man's body from hurting deliriously. Each time the cigar buried its ashes in his skin, tearing it off, Satsuro felt his chest stinging with ache.  
  
But the young boy didn't show any signs of pain. He just held his breath for as long as he could and let his anger show off within his eyes. His bloodshot eyes were burning with insane fury.  
  
His tormenter looked surprised.  
  
"I'm impressed myself. You will become great, my boy. And I'll help you achieve that greatness." The fat figure withdrew his torture instrument and turned away, walking towards a door at the end of the room.  
  
He stopped just before exiting the room and turned his head to Satsura.  
  
"Oh, almost forgot: The name is Hakata. Your name, boy." Hakata grinned once more, before leaving Satsuro alone in the dark room. With only his thoughts to continue torturing him.  
  
-  
  
Night had dawned on the city of Tokyo, the moon desperately trying to shine brighter than the streetlights of the metropolis. Lampposts, glistening with blinding brightness were the companions of anxious drivers, drunkards and everybody else who insisted on staying awake.  
  
But where Gogo stood, there was no artificial illumination of any kind. There was only the desolate, mournful lunar light supporting her beautiful eyes. The adolescent slayer was standing in front of an abandoned factory, afar off any population.  
  
The beauty stood still, her left hand clenched in a fist and the right hand gripping the samurai sword. She stood alone, not a single soul beside her. Gogo was bracing herself for a fierce battle – the factory had never been deserted.  
  
"So, Hakata's boys are in here? They sure know how to pick the right surroundings." Gogo said, her eyes reconnoitering the area around the seemingly forsaken plant.  
  
The door was a massive steely tower of metal, and was way too inconvenient to be used regularly. There had to be another way inside and Yubari started looking for windows and openings in the wall.  
  
Her persistence was awarded with the sound of a cough and a cigarette dropping out of a hole in the left wall, up above. Yakuza thugs were never considered bright and this one was no exception.  
  
Gogo swiftly grabbed a small dent in the left wall and climbed up, keeping as silent as possible. The latex suit was indeed very practical, serving as a tight second skin and never limiting her movements.  
  
Soon, she was high up on the wall, hanging next to the small opening that the guard had so foolishly used as a garbage disposal. Just because the building looked archaic and cheap from the outside, didn't mean that it looked the same way inside.  
  
Young Yubari instantly found a bizarre looking stone, which distinguished itself in form and color from his grey comrades. Gogo looked through the small hole and noticed the guard was already gone from his post.  
  
She hit the strange stone with her foot and suddenly the wall she was holding on to turned inside out and back again as soon as Gogo had let go of it. The girl was now standing on an expensive, Persian rug and a weird lamp was hanging above her head.  
  
"Looks more like Arab paradise, than a Yakuza residence." Gogo remarked to herself.  
  
Kisaru had told her about this place, although he never mentioned Hakata's love for the Orient. But at least she was closer to her goal than she had expected before.  
  
Hakata's obsession with security had lessened ever since O-Ren had died. He was always afraid that he'd share Boss Tanaka's fate of getting his head sliced off when he wasn't paying attention.  
  
But, much to Gogo's satisfaction, he loosened up. No more bodyguards running around and seclusion in his home. But he would never get away with this new lifestyle. Young Yubari was just the quickest – there were countless other people demanding his early departure from this world.  
  
Gogo's feet were quietly tapping the carpet underneath them as she quickly reached the next room. Two guards were playing Shogi – a Japanese chess- based board game. It demanded full concentration from both sides and Gogo could have walked right past them if a third thug hadn't suddenly appeared out of a small room, probably a toilet.  
  
Gogo swiftly leaped backwards into the corridor, as the third guy started cursing at the two, very mad at their decision to play Shogi when they were supposed to be patrolling the area for intruders.  
  
The two rose up from their table, visibly annoyed with having to leave the game and too focused on pitying themselves to react quickly enough to Yubari's sudden appearance.  
  
Gogo's celerity was almost unreal and her sword was piercing through the guards before they even blinked their eyes. The girl sliced the sword through the stomach of the first thug and then rapidly shot the blade to the left, crimson blood shooting out of the guard's belly.  
  
A gyration at cyberspeed and Gogo let her blade come down on the second guard's head with sheer animal force. The sharp metal cut through his skull and further, granting a quick death.  
  
The third looked harder – he advanced with high speed, thrusting his sword forward but Gogo simply sidestepped his attack and let her hand edge connect with the man's throat.  
  
He coughed hard, nabbing for air as Gogo let her blade slice him up from underneath. She placed the blade between his legs and stroke upward. The sword cut through his spinal column, letting the thug suffer with unimaginable pain until his very last breath.  
  
Gogo had almost forgotten how reckless she always was in battle – all that sweet talking with Renee hadn't done her any good. She even felt pity while executing the three worthless bastards.  
  
She shook her head, getting rid of these rather new emotions and proceeded on, reaching an elevator. She got inside, taking battle stance and preparing for further combat but as the doors opened when it reached ground floor, there was nobody around.  
  
Gogo stepped out, surprised at the absolute lack of security. To freak out each time you see a dog and carry hundreds of bodyguards around with you is one thing, but no security at all was foolish, not to mention dangerous.  
  
But soon Gogo heard voices, coming out of a large chamber in front of her. She quietly went on and saw a strange picture: a young boy, encircled by nine thugs, both sides armed with swords.  
  
The sight intrigued Gogo and she felt slight commiseration for the young man, who wouldn't stand a chance against Hakata's gang. Gogo decided to step in after it was over and finish them off then. But fate had it coming differently.  
  
-  
  
Satsuro felt completely confused: one moment the bastard is calling him son, the next he is burning him up with his cigar. Then he leaves him alone and seconds later these guys drag him outside, give him a sword and tell him to fight.  
  
He smirked: at least he was armed and clothed again. He could fight for real, at last. Satsuro felt the anger awake within his soul; it was feeding his muscles with energy. He felt as the blood started flowing faster and his heart pumped at double speed.  
  
His confused face slowly changed to a confident one. His eyes flashed with fire and his fists clenched together so hard that his nails made his palms bleed. But Satsuro didn't care: he was ready for a fierce fight.  
  
"Come on, attack me you pathetic little faggots! I bet Hataka promised to fuck the one who kills me off first personally! Fuck him real good! Well come on! Go earn yourself your present!"  
  
His voice sounded as mocking as he had never expected it to be. It was working: the thugs were coming closer. The tension rose with every second. They all waited for someone to set them off.  
  
Gogo's words couldn't have come at a better moment.  
  
"I think they'd rather fuck me!" She said, everybody turning towards her. "Don't you think?" She said leaning onto the handle of her sword, elegantly posing.  
  
Satsuro knew this was his chance. His sword went through the first two guards like a knife through butter, splattering their blood all over the floor. Gogo leaped forward with a somersault, landing next to Satsuro, turning her back to him.  
  
"I guess you're my guardian angel." Satsuro said, with irony all over his face.  
  
"Who says I won't kill you after finishing them off?" Gogo asked playfully.  
  
"Because I'm cute." Satsuro said, desperately trying to concentrate on the dramatic situation.  
  
"I've had better." Gogo stated before Hakata's thugs exploded and attacked them from all sides.  
  
The fight split up in two groups: the ones fighting Gogo and the ones battling Satsuro.  
  
Gogo dodged the sloppy attack of her first competitive and let him slide onto the ground while her sword ripped through his shoulder plate and relieved him of his left arm.  
  
The next three attacked at once from left, right and from the front. Gogo had to be fast. She let the attacker from the left slip his sword past her, as she turned at the last moment. The sword buried itself in the guard who was assaulting from the right, killing him instantly.  
  
Gogo fell on her spine, eluding the frontal attack. She then ejected her legs onto the assaulter's stomach at great pace, throwing him to the floor while the aggressor from the left was desperately trying to get his sword out of his buddy's chest.  
  
With an elegant movement, Gogo decapitated the poor guy and then jumped towards the assailant, who was lying on the floor. Two rapid movements ripped his bilge in two and he almost melted on the floor.  
  
Meanwhile, Satsuro was having trouble of his own. Two guys were attacking him with great force from opposite sides. He was barely able to block the attacks, inverting his body every time.  
  
Then, an idea hit him and he blocked the next attack from the left, pushing his assailant away with all his strength. The thug fell on the floor, awarding Satsuro with enough time to block the attack from the other side and advance towards the other opponent.  
  
His skill was impressive and his fast movements soon brought his enemy to his knees. Satsuro finished him off, jumping onto his shoulders and inserting the blade into his collarbone.  
  
His earlier foe was already wielding his blade in front of him but Satsuro used all his strength, jumping off the dead thug's shoulders and overleaping his enemy, his heel hitting the back of the guard's head. Then, with amazing grace, he backflipped, and the thug's head was lying right between his legs when he landed. His blade went through his torso without any resistance.  
  
One remained, unsure how far he was willing to go for Hakata's sake. But Gogo didn't intend on waiting for him to make up his mind.  
  
She threw her blade horizontally, and the thug froze as it passed his throat, almost ripping it off his body.  
  
Satsuro picked up her sword and threw it cautiously back over to Gogo. The girl smirked, catching it with her right hand.  
  
"I don't know what to say...I guess 'thanks'!" Satsuro said, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
Gogo shook her head and turned around, walking out of the room.  
  
"Hey, wait!" Satsuro shouted, following her. He ran over to her and grabbed Gogo by the shoulder, almost getting his head cut off as she turned around, stretching out her sword.  
  
She looked at him, already regretting saving him earlier. "Touch me again and you'll join them." She said, nodding towards the dead guards. "You looked helpless and I saved you, now you can get the hell out of here!"  
  
Satsuro almost laughed. "No offense there, girl, but I could have handled them all by myself."  
  
Gogo walked over to him, gripping the sword with her left hand. "Really...?" She said and put her left hand on Satsuro's cheek, making it go slightly red.  
  
In an instant, she had whammed him in the face with the sword handle and kicked away his sword. She tightly grabbed his head, looking at his bleeding face. "Get the fuck away!" She said in an angry voice, emphasizing every syllable.  
  
Suddenly, Satsuro's head jerked slightly and he slammed his forehead into Gogo's pretty visage, throwing her to the ground. He quickly reached his sword and put it to her throat while she was slowly rising to her feet.  
  
"Not bad!" She said, letting out a small cough. Both their faces were covered in blood, from their impulsive actions and they were both more than mad at each other.  
  
"The only thing I'm asking for is to help me find this Hakata and his buddy Romeo. And if you help me kill them, I won't bother you any longer." Satsuro said, his voice half pleading, half demanding.  
  
Yubari spat out some blood and smiled at him. "Fuck you."  
  
"I'd hate to interrupt your charming little flirt, but it seems that you mentioned my name earlier." Romeo said, stepping into the light of the room.  
  
"Shit!" Satsuro cursed, turning towards him. Gogo got up swiftly, lifting her sword.  
  
Romeo startled slightly when he saw the young girl's face. "Yubari?"  
  
Retsuja's expression turned to surprised. "He knows you?" He asked the girl.  
  
"Yeah, I'm kinda famous." Gogo replied, still looking at the tall man in front of them.  
  
Romeo took a few steps forward. "It'll be a pleasure, young Gogo." He smiled as he took out his long sword.  
  
"You have a cool sounding name." Satsuro said, once again distracting her from the situation.  
  
Gogo stepped forward, swinging her blade, which had gotten heavy from all the blood on it. "So I've heard." She said, not taking her eyes off her opponent.  
  
But before she could react, Satsuro grabbed her by the hand and started running away. He dragged her inside the elevator and hit the up-button rapidly. Romeo started running after them.  
  
"Let me go, what are you doing?" Gogo shouted but Satsuro just didn't let loose of her hand.  
  
"Trust me, if we fight that guy, we die. All we can do now is get the hell out of here. Damn it, move!" He yelled at the elevator.  
  
As if it had heard his pleads, the door shut and the lift suddenly started. Satsuro smiled with satisfaction as Romeo's sword hit the door from the outside.  
  
He let go of Gogo's hand, and received a slap on the face. Tired, he touched his cheek. "I think I got hit over the face enough, don't you think?" He said, not bothering to respond.  
  
Yubari was raging: she was actually fleeing. For the first time, she was _escaping_ from the enemy – the thought drove her crazy.  
  
But the guy sounded seriously concerned about her. The shock that somebody, who she didn't know anything about, was caring about her, was even bigger. It was the best feeling she had ever experienced.  
  
"We leave through that wall." Gogo said, when the elevator stopped and opened its door.  
  
Soon, they were outside and already running away. They ran away from the factory, following a small highway. Satsuro stopped an oncoming car, and threw out all who sat inside it, taking their place.  
  
Gogo took the driver's seat and accelerated, the tires squealing as she made a full turn and hit the gas with fury. In a flash, the car had vanished, leaving its former owners behind. 


	3. Moonlight Kiss

Disclaimer: _(drumroll)_ **I don't own Gogo!**

Author note: With all my heart, I would like to thank my very first reviewer - **Tokyo Queen Go-Go Yubari**. I dedicate this chapter to you, I can't thank you enough.

Please, keep reviewing - the story depends on it!

The ballad I used here is the Celtic traditional tune "Greensleeves" - check out Blackmore's Night version of it, you won't regret it!

Enjoy! (This is probably the most romantic stuff I've ever written...)

-

They had left Tokyo soon, with Gogo driving like mad, hitting the pedal to the extreme. Satsuro sighed with relief when they finally stopped at a motel that was desperately trying to imitate a saloon from the Wild West.  
  
"What is it with this trend of western-influenced constructions?" Satsuro said, his hands still trembling from the wild ride.  
  
Gogo smiled softly and got out of the car. Something was changing inside her. She didn't know what it was, but it was something completely new and delighting.  
  
"It's nice to leave the city behind." Gogo said and Satsuro almost fell down with surprise. 'Nice'? He didn't even think that this girl had words of that ilk in her vocabulary.  
  
The motel was completely empty and the owner had fallen asleep on his desk. Satsuro had to close the door with a bang to wake him up. The man shrieked, falling on his back.  
  
"We'd like a room." Satsuro stumbled, looking at Gogo. "Two rooms." He corrected his demands, making Gogo smile with sweet delight.  
  
The owner quickly stood up, utterly excited about his first guests in months.  
  
"Of course! We have the most wonderful honeymoon suites, with romantic views and nice, soft beds-"  
  
Satsuro grabbed him by the hair and pulled him close.  
  
"I said two rooms, you idiot!" He said in quiet anger.  
  
Gogo tried her utmost to restrain from laughing. The thought that this dirty, cheap 'saloon' had any 'romantic views' was indeed entertaining. Plus, Satsuro was very cute, trying to keep his honor, refusing to use the chance to get her into bed.  
  
"Yes, yes, of course!" The short man started apologizing. Satsuro merely shook his head.  
  
The small man showed them to their 'rooms' that looked more like barracks than actual hotel suites.  
  
"We'll pay you tomorrow, just leave us alone right now, ok?" Satsuro said, and the owner didn't dare to disagree, returning to his own room. For the first time for a long time he was very content with his business.  
  
"Well, good night!" Satsuro said, smiling to the girl in the latex outfit.  
  
Gogo just nodded, entering her room and shutting the door behind her. She leaned onto it with her back, closing her eyes.  
  
Retsuja didn't bother treading into his chamber. He silently exited the hotel and sat on the terrace, just outside the building.  
  
For the first time in his life, he cried. His face kept straight, but the tears were running down his cheeks, leaving marks on his face. The cool wind was slightly caressing his dark, coarse hair that was cut slightly short.  
  
He wasn't able to describe the mood that he was in. He felt endless grief for not being there to protect his parents. Anguish filled his soul, when he thought of the man who claimed to be his father. Excitement preoccupied his feelings, when he thought about his future – now so uncertain and vague like never before.  
  
And he was most uncertain with his feelings for that girl, who was sleeping in the room next to him. The girl he saved from certain death, even if it wasn't a heroic rescue – he did save her life. She was so different from all the other girls he ever encountered: strong, gritty, confident and at the same time gorgeously beautiful.  
  
Girls like her attended model contests instead of wielding samurai blades. Even her name was so strangely interesting: Gogo Yubari. He felt strongly attracted to her, although he wasn't sure what her feelings were like.  
  
She was dangerous enough to kill him at any moment, so he had to be careful. Gogo was neither friend nor enemy. At the moment, she was something undefined - A variable with an inchoate value, a chameleon, who could change his skin at any time.  
  
But however blurry his mood was, he couldn't hold back the tears, cascading from his eyes.  
  
"I didn't hear you enter." Gogo's voice soothed from behind. "I though you had left." She spoke, ever so softly.  
  
"I wouldn't come far." Satsuro smirked, wiping the lachrymal from his face. Gogo slowly walked up to him and sat by his side.  
  
"Are you afraid of me?" She suddenly asked, as if she had heard his silent conversation with his mind.  
  
Satsuro turned his head to her. "No. Maybe..." He said, his voice unsure.  
  
Gogo simpered. "I do have that effect on people."  
  
She pulled her right knee close, resting her chin onto it. "I hate that." She said with a bitter smile.  
  
Retsuja wasn't able to stop his right arm as he wrapped it gently around the girl's shoulders and pulled her close to him.  
  
She sighed, slightly opening her mouth to speak out her doubts but not finding the strength for those words. Satsuro's put a finger to her lips.  
  
His dainty smile comforted the girl unlike anything before. Her eyes sparkled with moonlight as she closed them while their lips touched softly.  
  
The lunar light witnessed their first kiss, that grew more passionate with every passing second. The wind breezed, caressing their faces as they gave in to their most inner feelings.  
  
Pale blue tears formed in Gogo's brown eyes, while she pulled her lover closer - afraid of losing him, afraid that all this was a dream.  
  
Satsuro switched off the light in his room and lied down close beside his love. She had already fallen asleep and he was stroking through her hair and gently kissing her skin. The first woman that he ever truly loved, the first woman he was willing to die for.  
  
He gently sang a tune, while caressing his beloved girl. A Celtic tune that he loved with all his heart:  
  
_"Alas, my love, you do me wrong, To cast me off discourteously._

_For I have loved you well and long, Delighting in your company.  
  
Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold, And who but my lady greensleeves.  
  
Your vows you've broken, like my heart, Oh, why did you so enrapture me?_

_Now I remain in a world apart But my heart remains in captivity.  
  
I have been ready at your hand, To grant whatever you would crave,_

_I have both wagered life and land, Your love and good-will for to have.  
  
If you intend thus to disdain, It does the more enrapture me,_

_And even so, I still remain A lover in captivity.  
  
Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight, _

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold, And who but my lady greensleeves.  
  
My men were clothed all in green, And they did ever wait on thee;_

_All this was gallant to be seen, And yet thou wouldst not love me.  
  
Thou couldst desire no earthly thing, but still thou hadst it readily. _

_Thy music still to play and sing; And yet thou wouldst not love me.  
  
Well, I will pray to God on high, that thou my constancy mayst see, _

_And that yet once before I die, Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.  
  
Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu, To God I pray to prosper thee, _

_For I am still thy lover true, Come once again and love me.  
  
Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight, _

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold, And who but my lady greensleeves."_  
  
He tenderly kissed Gogo's forehead and fell asleep, feeling happy for the first time in his life and Gogo cried gently as she swiftly flashed her eyes.  
  
"Thank you." She said, too silently for anyone to hear. "Thank you."  
  
-  
  
As morning dawned, the couple was already awake and standing inside the hotel owner's cabinet.  
  
The man woke up and the first thing that his eyes embraced was the edge of Satsuro's sword. He immediately stopped breathing and his pants went wet.  
  
"Morning." Gogo said, standing behind her lover.  
  
The owner nodded slightly. "M-Morning!" He said, barely understanding the situation.  
  
Satsuro put his blade out of the small man's face and threw some money on his table, ultimately confusing the poor guy.  
  
"We said we'd pay you." Satsuro said, smirking.  
  
Gogo then walked over to his bed and sat on his chest, placing her arms on his shoulders. "There's one more thing, though." She said, playfully tickling him.  
  
The owner was desperately trying to understand the logic of what that weird couple was doing but couldn't find any reasonable explanation whatsoever.  
  
"Y-Yes, whatever you want." He said, afraid of what would happen next.  
  
"People will probably come looking for us." Satsuro's harsh voice sounded as he walked over to the bed. He placed his sword on the man's pillow.  
  
"Dangerous people." Gogo said, her eyes glowing in an arcane fashion. The hotel owner's jaw dropped slightly as he imagined those 'dangerous people'.  
  
Sasturo's sword was now next to the small man's ear, almost touching it.  
  
"So what will you tell them?" He asked menacingly.  
  
"N-Nothing. I won't tell them anything about you, I promise." The owner pleaded to Satsuro.  
  
"He's lying." Gogo simply stated, her eyes glowing a hole through the man's head.  
  
Satsuro nodded lightly. "I know."  
  
He gently stroked his temple and smiled gently. "I guess we'll have to do something so he won't say anything, right?"  
  
Then, something really strange happened. Gogo pulled the man close and kissed him passionately, Satsuro looking very amused with the hotel owner's face.  
  
When Gogo had finished licking the man's lips, she jumped off him hastily. The man's face turned green within a second.  
  
"I taste good, don't I?" Gogo asked, very pleased with herself.  
  
But as the man wanted to answer, he vomited all over his bed. The two lovers turned away in disgust as he vomited again.  
  
The man couldn't understand what was going on. But Gogo clarified his not very enviable state.  
  
"I held a small, plastic bag in my mouth and when I kissed you, I pressed out all its content into your throat. It's real wicked shit, that stuff. It'll make you puke each time you'll want to say something." Gogo could barely hold her laughter.  
  
"Don't worry, it'll wear off in a few months, but until then I suggest you keep your ugly little trap shut!" She said, as Satsuro embraced her in a hug.  
  
The man shook his head in disbelief as the two lovebirds walked out of his hotel. Satsuro and Gogo laughed wholeheartedly, hearing another disgusting sound from behind them as they walked out of the motel.  
  
"I hope you weren't jealous back there." Gogo said, twitching Satsuro's left cheek.  
  
"Well, you really didn't have to lick his ugly mouth after you were done." Satsuro said, almost serious.  
  
"Yeah, but at least he'll have something to think about through all these lonely nights." She said as they both smiled, getting into the car.  
  
"So, where to?" Satsuro asked while Gogo grabbed the steering wheel.  
  
"We'll need to recruit a few guys if we want to take Hakata down." Gogo said, folding her bottom lip with her finger.  
  
"So back to Tokyo then." Satsuro said, a worried expression on his face.  
  
"Does something bother you?" Gogo asked, starting the car.  
  
"Yeah, the fact that you're driving." Satsuro answered honestly.  
  
Gogo laughed as she hit the gas. "Don't be a..." She said and drew a 'square' with her index fingers.  
  
Then she drove off, the tires squealing and the car disappearing in the horizon.


	4. La Granda

Disclaimer: I still don't own Gogo Yubari

Author's note: This chapter got a little shorter, but I hope it makes up for it with weird humor, enjoy!

-

Sasturo and Gogo had searched all Tokyo, every dark and somber alley as well as practically every cheap club. But all they found were drunkards and junkies.

They needed allies to be able to fight off Hakata's gang that was already chasing them all around the capital. No doubt, the two were highly skilled and capable of ripping apart dozens of his thugs, but Hakata had hundreds of them.

Plus, Romeo, Hakata's private bodyguard and main assassin had troops of his own that were trained since childhood and were like his personal slaves.

So they continued searching, all morning and all day.  
  
It was already evening, when they reached this joint called "La Granda" – a hangout for rock fans as well as complete psychos and perverts.

They were both completely exhausted. "I think today I met more maniacs then back when I was with O-Ren." Gogo said, leaning onto Satsuro's back.

"Tell me about it, I feel like I've been living with junkies my entire life." He said, snipping away his cigarette.  
  
To their questionable delight, a shabby-looking girl popped out, flying out of the front door, right into Satsuro's hands. She screamed like crazy and started running away in zigzags, banging her head against the walls with steady rhythm.  
  
"This looks like fun." Gogo said, very amused with that weird girl. Satsuro face-palmed with quiet anger as they entered the place and almost went deaf from the loud music.  
  
A group called the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club was playing their second set when Satsuro and Gogo arrived. The young man knew that group and liked their music.  
  
"Man, they ought to be playing concerts instead of entertaining this kind of crowd." Satsuro said, shaking his head as they sat at one of the few tables that the place had to offer.  
  
A waiter, who looked really fucked-up, slipped on his way to the couple and banged his jaw on their table, landing on the floor.  
  
"Shit!" Gogo said as she kicked his body away from their table.  
  
The band started using the scabby special effects machine that the stage had to offer, the lurid lights blinding half the spectators who were in front of the stage.  
  
Satsuro leaned over to Gogo's ear. "I don't think we'll find anybody here either." Gogo nodded in agreement and they stood up from their table, dodging a beer bottle that flew across the room and hit the wall behind them.  
  
And just as our main couple wanted to walk out of the joint, slightly disappointed with their search results – a weird thing happened:  
  
A European-looking girl with blonde hair reaching to her ass, dressed in a tight blue overall, stepped over to the band and started kissing them. First the guitarist, then the singer/bassist and finally the drummer...  
  
Gogo couldn't hold her laughter at the spectacular incident that was taking place in front of their eyes. The band looked pleased, to say the least, while some guys in uniforms were already climbing the stage.  
  
"So, the only thing these security fuckers do is to save the band from girls..." Satsuro said, rubbing his chin.  
  
"I wanna help her." Gogo decided and started walking towards the stage, pushing aside the drunken crowd.  
  
But just as she wanted to climb the bandstand and get those guards off the blonde girl, she was forced to duck quickly as two of them came flying off of it.  
  
The girl had thrown them off the stage, how cool was that?  
  
While the blonde was dealing with a third guy, Gogo went over to the two security officers who were splattered all over the floor and took out her sword, as they wanted to stand up.  
  
"Make a move and I'll be eating your limbs for shashlik." Gogo said with a bone-chilling voice.  
  
The two nodded and remained completely still.  
  
Meanwhile the blonde girl was bashing the third guard's head against the drum set, as the band continued playing. She hit him long enough for his ears to start bleeding before she tossed him off the stage, unconscious.  
  
"Shut up!" Gogo shouted at the band and they rapidly stopped. She climbed the stage, after knocking out the two guards she was patrolling and went over to the girl.  
  
"What's your name?" She asked the blonde.  
  
The girl approached Gogo, licking her upper lip with delight as she fronted her. Gogo's face remained calm while the blonde slowly walked around her. She placed her mouth to Yubari's ear.  
  
"Who wants to know?" She asked, whispering erotically.  
  
Gogo's face went up in a smile as she turned around and pulled the girl towards her, stroking her long hair.  
  
"I ask the questions." She moaned, placing a kiss on the blonde's neck and arousing the crowd around them.  
  
Satsuro's face was changing from red to purple, watching his girlfriend smother the blonde with gentle kisses that were returned equally tender.  
  
He rubbed his neck, struggling with the thought of slicing them both in half and feeding them to the assemblage that had formed a tight circle around them.  
  
"Vivienne." The blonde finally answered Gogo's question.  
  
"Gogo." She answered as they both stopped their stirring show for a moment.  
  
"I'd hate to bother you two sexy little kittens but it seems that we have a small problem." Satsuro said, getting rid of the spectators around them and trying to sound as calm as possible.  
  
"And who is this cutie?" Vivienne asked, flashing her eyes.  
  
"He's mine." Gogo said smiling, as she let go of Vivienne's body and the two girls chuckled with delight.  
  
Satsuro merely shook his head and pointed to the entrance. Five guys, dressed in white suits and bandanas and grasping sword sheaths, stood there, barely moving a muscle.  
  
"Wow, they look familiar." Gogo said, referring to the similarity between their and Romeo's garment.  
  
"Yeah and that means trouble." Satsuro said, weighing the possible outcome of the battle and not coming to a positive conclusion.  
  
If they were even half as skilled as Romeo, the three wouldn't stand a chance.  
  
Suddenly, one of the five suits walked up to them, a cream colored sheath in his hand. The crowd was slowly flooding outside, and the band was packing their instruments as silently as possible.  
  
"Your father sends his regards." The white suit said, slightly bowing to Satsuro.  
  
Gogo turned her head to her lover, her face turning serious. "What the fuck is he talking about?" She asked, her voice quivering.  
  
"Hakata, he's..." Satsuro said, receiving a fierce slap to his face.  
  
He stopped her the second time Gogo tried to hit his face, grabbing her arm tightly.  
  
"He's not my father, Gogo. My parents are dead." He said, his voice filled with cold anger as he turned his head to the white suit, who was fairly enjoying their clinch.  
  
Gogo relaxed – this really wasn't the time for settling relationship problems.  
  
"And I'll kill anyone who says the opposite." Satsuro said with a calm expression on his face, as he fronted the white-garbed man, balling his fists and tightening the grip around his black sheath.  
  
"Your wish is my-"  
  
Sadly, or maybe not, but he never finished his sentence as Vivienne's gun blasted a neat hole in his head, rudely breaking off their conversation.  
  
The French turned to the remaining four, pulling out a second gun and leveling both at their heads.  
  
"You need 10 seconds to get over here and my two babies need 2 to blow your fucking heads clean off." She said, a diabolic smile on her face.  
  
"Where's the fucking backdoor to this place?" Gogo shouted at the remaining crowd.  
  
"It's right here, behind the stage." The band's drummer said, pointing to the door behind him.  
  
"Thanks, Nick. You're a sweetie." Vivienne said, changing her voice from mad to pleasant within a second.  
  
The three got out through said entrance, together with the band as the four suits remained at the front entrance.  
  
"Bye guys." Vivienne said, waving her hand to the band while they blew her a kiss and got into their car, driving away.  
  
"We've got to get out of here, fast." Satsuro said regaining his senses that got pretty distorted after Vivienne splattered the white suit's head all over his face.  
  
"Let's grab those bikes over there." Gogo said, pointing to three Yamaha's, leaning onto the club's wall.  
  
Seconds later, they had jump-started the bikes and were already far away from the club, with one thought in their minds: the night had been a complete success...


	5. Rumble in Asaki

Disclaimer: I don't own Gogo Yubari

Authors note: More action, at last! Enjoy!

Romeo was getting bored. Hakata's meetings were always overlong, not to mention completely unnecessary and as interesting as watching the toilet flush over and over again.  
  
He had been his bodyguard since O-Ren decapitated Tanaka, his former boss. That day he only stood there, watching as a fountain of blood erected from the place where Tanaka's head used to be.  
  
O-Ren could slice him in two before he'd even make a single move – he knew that too well. She was the only one he knew was superior to him in her sword skills.  
  
But since she died, he had no worthy opponents and grew bored with every new day. The last time he felt adrenalin pumping through his body was when he saw that boy's expression in his face.  
  
It chilled him to the bone – he had never experienced anything like it ever before. The boy was fast – very fast. He was just able to evade his attack and it was just a simple punch!  
  
Now he sat in his chair, behind the conference table and was smoking a cigarillo through an elegant mouthpiece and was hardly paying any attention to what those fat idiots were talking about.  
  
He had only one thing on his mind – how to get to that boy and his girlfriend. Gogo Yubari was no less than the best young female assassin since O-Ren. And if those two find enough allies, there's no telling what could happen to the fat bastard, his gang and Romeo himself.  
  
For the first time in a long time, Romeo was afraid.  
  
-  
  
The three were sitting inside Renee's living room, enjoying an exquisite meal of hers.  
  
"I'm happy that you found some friends, Gogo." Renee said, joining them at the oak table.  
  
Vivienne put a pack of smokes on the table and reached for the ashtray. "You mind?" She asked the housewife who nodded in allowance.  
  
"So, what's your next move?" Renee asked Gogo, interrupting her passionate kiss with Satsuro.  
  
The assassin smiled, wiping her mouth and taking a cigarette out of Vivienne's pack.  
  
"I guess we'll continue searching for more screwed-up girls like Vivienne." She said, making the young French smile.  
  
"That's not really the best method. You're lucky you found her but don't think that you'll be as lucky again." Renee cut her off.  
  
"There's this place called Asaki, couple of miles from Tokyo. I know a few guys there who would be willing to join you guys." She said and Satsuro almost choked on his stub.  
  
"Asaki? You know that only half the people who go there return alive? It's a fucking war zone, the gangs are most active there." He said, raising his voice.  
  
"What, you afraid of a couple of teens with water pistols?" Vivienne asked, mockingly.  
  
Satsuro shook his head and waved his hand in her direction. Renee coughed, returning to what she was saying.  
  
"As I said, I know a couple of kids there, me and Sofi used to take care of them before they grew too old. I haven't seen them since."  
  
Gogo nodded. "So how do we find them?" She asked.  
  
"Grab one of the kids and tell them you're looking for Kiruga. He's pretty big dwon there. Tell him I sent you and he'll do whatever you want." Renee said, finishing her meal.  
  
"I heard of him." Vivienne said, putting out her cigarette. "He won't be easy to reach."  
  
"What, you afraid of a couple of teens with water pistols?" Satsuro asked in a sarcastic tone.  
  
Vivienne shook her head and waved her hand in his direction, making them laugh.  
  
-  
  
Kiruga woke up, gripping a shotgun in his right hand – he always slept armed. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. The nightmares just wouldn't stop. They've been haunting him since his childhood and got worse with every day.  
  
He sat up on his bed, putting the shotgun on the small table beside it. The phone was ringing for some time and he picked it up after the seventh dial.  
  
"Yeah, what the fuck is it?" He asked in a rough voice. This better be important, he thought.  
  
Yamaki, the old pain the ass was calling. His voice sounded like Charles Bronson with his dick cut off.  
  
"Kiruga, there's someone...OW!" The voice freaked as if he was hurt badly. Then, Yamaki was pushed aside and Kiruga heard somebody else grab the phone.  
  
"Kiruga, my name is Gogo, Gogo Yubari. I have a preposition for you." A female voice sounded on the other end.  
  
"You better be joking, lady. I don't have time for your stupid prepositions!" He shouted, very annoyed with the situation.  
  
"Renee sends us, Renee Wright." Gogo's voice cut off his breath.  
  
Renee? After all these years...  
  
"Follow the main road to the shitty-looking building at the end." He said, his voice still rough.  
  
"Which one, they all look fucked up." The girls voice almost made him smile, she was right – Asaki's buildings all looked like shit.  
  
"It's got a Japanese flag on top of it." Kiruga said and hung up the phone.  
  
This was getting to be more interesting than he had expected. He owed enough to Renee to at least hear them out. Then he'd decide if he should shoot them...  
  
-  
  
Gogo, Satsuro and Vivienne reached the building without any problems. Kiruga had notified his thugs about them and the three went through the defenses trouble-free.  
  
Kiruga was already waiting in front of his small 'palace' – a debauched old house with a ripped flag above it. He was dressed in army clothes, which looked like he hadn't changed them in years.  
  
He stretched out his right hand when they had come close enough. Around him, ten men with machine guns in their hands ensured his security.  
  
He had a certain veteran feel to him. He was probably not much older than twenty but had fought more fights than most soldiers would ever dream to.  
  
"Gogo Yubari?" He asked the girl who stepped out in front of him.  
  
"That's me." She said with a confident voice. His security measures didn't impress her the least.  
  
Kiruga ordered his men to put their guns down and walked over to Gogo.  
  
"How is Renee?" He asked her the question that had bothered him for years.  
  
"Renee's fine." She said, her voice soothing him. "She bought a small house and is working in a school."  
  
Kiruga laughed, stroking through his hair. "A teacher? Oh boy, things do change don't they?" He asked the girl in front of him.  
  
"Yeah." She said, looking over to Satsuro who stood beside Vivienne, ready to protect her at any time. "They do."  
  
Kiruga smiled in a comforting way. "Come in, mi kasa et su kasa."He said, opening the door into his home and letting the three friends inside.  
  
-  
  
They explained their situation to him – they needed support and he was the one person who could provide it in a major way.  
  
"I regret telling you this, but I can't help you." He said to them, sitting in his chair, the three standing in front of him.  
  
"What a fucking waste of time, let's go!" Vivienne said, not hiding her anger.  
  
But Gogo didn't intend on leaving anywhere.  
  
"Fine, then I guess I'll change the situation." She said, her face turning serious.  
  
"How about this: if you don't help us, I'll slice you up right here and then go outside and slit open all of your pathetic little troops." She said, her voice echoing in cold fury.  
  
Kiruga laughed again. "I doubt that you'll succeed, honey."  
  
Within a moment, he already regretted his words. Gogo's sword flew across the room, cutting the tips of his hair off and hitting the concrete wall behind him.  
  
"Think again." She said, her eyes still glowing with anger.  
  
Kiruga slowly calmed down and stood up. "All right, here's what I'll do. I'll call in twenty of my best guards and let them attack you for ten minutes. If you survive, then I'll join you, otherwise..." He said, straightening his hair as he picked up Gogo's sword and tossed it towards her.  
  
She caught it easily, accepting Kiruga's offer. They didn't have a choice anyway.  
  
"Let them in." She said, nodding to her two friends.  
  
"No guns, right?" Vivienne asked Kiruga.  
  
"Of course not." He replied, dialing his phone.  
  
"I won't need them anyway." She said, equipping gauntlets to her hands.  
  
Kiruga spoke a few words into the phone and put it down. "Good luck." He said, smiling.  
  
Satsuro spat on the floor. "Tell that to your guys, they'll be needing it more." He said, pulling his blade out of its sheath and turning to the door.  
  
The tension rose, as the seconds ticked away with nobody appearing. Sweat drops formed on Gogo's forehead and slowly ran down her face.  
  
Then, the door flew open and a crowd of youths dressed like soldiers ran into the room. They charged immediately, taking the three friends on without any mercy.  
  
Vivienne evaded her first attackers' sword with a classy sidestep to the left and buried her fist in his face, the gauntlets breaking his nose instantly. The second one threw his sword forward almost cutting her throat as she grabbed it with her gloves, stopping the sharp metal inches in front of it. She smirked, taking the blade out of his owner's hands and stabbing it into his chest, making him yell with insane pain.  
  
Gogo and Satsuro fought side-by-side, switching opponents with astounding speed and withstanding each wave of attack with precise defense and counterattack. As yet another attacker forced his sword onto Satsuro's back, Gogo blocked it, right in time for Satsuro to turn around and decapitate the offender. Their swords were always way too fast for their attackers.  
  
And then, Kiruga stepped in. Now Vivienne had a real fight on her hands – Kiruga was far better than any of his young guards. He fought with his bare hands, bashing through her defenses and pounding her stomach and chest with steady, precise hits. Vivienne was already on her knees when she managed to fight back, spreading her legs and sweeping Kiruga from the floor, following her attack with a heel kick to his throat and almost killing him.  
  
But her attack was aborted as she received a bad hit to the face, forcing her on the cold floor. Kiruga's guards were still very much alive and fighting. Vivienne started crawling towards the north wall and was barely able to dodge an oncoming sword attack. Her attackers were advancing and she was pressed with her back against the concrete, with no escape chance. She balled her fists, blocking the blade shot to her throat, but she had no chance against the next attack to her face, as her fists were already blocking the first sword and couldn't move and block the second one as well.  
  
Vivienne closed her eyes as the blade came closer, approaching her face. But to her surprise nothing had happened. As she opened them again, she saw Kiruga standing in front of her, rubbing his jaw and desperately trying to force out a smile.  
  
"Ten minutes...over." He said and dropped on the floor as Vivienne thrashed her fist in his face, standing up swiftly.  
  
Gogo and Satsuro looked tired, breathing heavily as they reached the French girl and Gogo embraced her in a hug.  
  
"Shit!" Kiruga said, spitting out some blood as he rose from the floor. "Your friend here packs one hell of a punch." He said, grinning towards Vivienne.  
  
"You want me to kill him?" Satsuro asked the blonde, putting his blade to Kiruga's throat.  
  
"Yeah, that would be nice." Vivienne smiled as she pushed Satsuro's sword aside and slowly walked over to the soldier. She placed both hands on his shoulders and kissed him softly, making Kiruga lose his breath for a while.  
  
Vivienne then stopped, smiling delicately and looking pleased to the extreme as she walked out of the building, purring like a cat.  
  
"I just don't get that girl." Satsuro shook his head as Gogo took him by the arm.  
  
"Gather your best guards and meet us at the city entrance." Gogo ordered Kiruga, who slowly regained his ability to breathe.  
  
"As you say." He bowed his head slightly and walked over to his men, shaking his head in disappointment.  
  
But deep inside, he was cheering. He finally could get out of this damn city and finally make a normal living...at least relatively normal.


	6. Bikes and Knives

By nightfall, Gogo, Satsuro, Vivienne, Kiruga and ten of his guys were assembled at the entrance to Asaki, discussing their first major operation.  
  
"We need to hit Hakata fast and hard. Our first target will be his weaponry. Here's the plan: I infiltrate the building, while you and your men distract them. Try to hold out as long as you can until I plant the bomb. Satsuro and Vivienne will be helping you." Gogo said, addressing Kiruga.  
  
He smirked mildly, putting his hand on her head and sliding it off to the right.  
  
"Are you sure you want to go alone?" He asked.  
  
"Are you worried?" She asked, slightly surprised.  
  
Kiruga shook his head, laughing. "Honestly? I can't think of anyone who you can't manage."  
  
"So why do you ask?"  
  
"I guess I just can't accustom myself to the fact that I'm accepting orders from a woman." He said, rubbing his neck. "Besides, I want to blow the thing up personally."  
  
"I can handle it." Gogo said, sounding self-confident.  
  
Kiruga nodded as the three got up on their bikes and started the engines. Kiruga himself got into a van, his men sitting in the back.  
  
But just as they wanted to ride off, trouble arrived in form of a dozen youths from Kiruga's rival gang.  
  
"Damn it, we can't spend time fighting with these idiots, let's drive!" He shouted to Gogo and her friends, accelerating his vehicle.  
  
His foes followed, grabbing their bikes and pulling out their swords.  
  
"Gogo, look!" Vivienne shouted, pointing at even more of them appearing, all armed with blades and all gripping motorbike handles.  
  
The van was heading towards Tokyo, but it was a long way until they would reach the armory. It was way too slow and the rivals would reach Kiruga and, without a doubt, kill him.  
  
"We've got to protect the van." Gogo said to her two friends.  
  
"Yeah, we need Kiruga and his troops alive." Vivienne agreed, clenching her fists.  
  
"But how are we supposed to do that?" Satsuro asked, looking at the gang's bikes coming closer.  
  
"They will attack from the left, right and the back of the van, right?" Gogo asked and Satsuro quickly understood what she had planned.  
  
"I'll guard the back, Satsuro take the left side and you Vivienne, watch out for attacks from the right." Gogo said, putting on her helmet and the two nodded, following her example.  
  
"Let's hope this will work." Vivienne said, pulling out a gun.  
  
"When did I ever disappoint you?" Gogo asked, her words sounding distorted through the helmet. Vivienne's laughter was the rightful answer.  
  
The three bikes took off, picking up speed and reaching the van within a minute. Engines roared from behind as the rival gang's bikes came in view, one after another.  
  
The moon was the velvet sky's only illumination, revealing only parts of the road behind them. Kiruga's enemies were drawing near. Their figures were as dark as the night itself, dressed in abstruse attire and guiding dark blue bikes.  
  
One of them was already coming close, from the left. Sasturo rapidly blocked a sword attack with his left arm as one of the youths tried to pass him. He grabbed the bike's handle with his right hand, simultaneously wielding his sword in the other.  
  
The persistent youth continued his attempts but after yet another attack, Satsuro steered his bike sharply to the left, knocking his offender off of it and sending him onto the hard asphalt. But the intermission didn't last long.  
  
Two were now advancing in a frontal assault, straight towards Gogo and she had to act fast I order to survive. Stretching out her left arm, she turned her head to Satsuro and presented the palm of her left hand. Retsuja swiftly apprehended her idea. With great precision, he threw his sword over to her as she gripped it tightly.  
  
The two pursuers were already coming from left and right at the same time, not giving Gogo a chance to simply block their onslaughts. But Gogo already knew what to do.  
  
Suddenly, she stretched out both arms in opposite sides, stopping her bike and letting the two assailants drive their machines right into the sharp metal. The blade cut through their tires, ripping the synthetics to shreds as the motorbikes oversteered, thrusting the two out of the seats and splattering the tarmac with their crimson red blood.  
  
Gogo swiftly accelerated, coming up behind the van again. She steered to the left, returning Satsuro his sword and nodding in appreciation.  
  
The attacks followed on, pushing the three assassins to the limits of their skill as they evaded each and every oncoming offense, still defending the van.  
  
-  
  
Kiruga saw what was happening through the rearview mirror. The gang was advancing in great numbers. Gogo and the other two wouldn't hold out much longer.  
  
_Do some good, for once in your pathetic life...  
_  
"All right." He said, as he turned to his co-driver – a young girl. "Take the wheel."  
  
Kiruga then squeezed his body out through the window, gripping a shotgun in his right hand. The girl was driving as fast as the van allowed it, the fierce wind almost throwing him to the ground.  
  
But he managed, finally climbing the roof, lying onto it and aiming the shotgun forward. "Come on, give me something to aim at, my little friends."  
  
Vivienne was engaged in close combat after she had missed one of the oncoming bikes. Her opponent was battering his sword at her and she was barely able to block the attacks with her gauntlets.  
  
Gogo and Satsuro were also fighting and couldn't help her. Suddenly, her adversary's bike received two blasts and crashed to the ground. Vivienne looked up, seeing Kiruga wave his shotgun at her.  
  
He was taking them down one by one and soon the attack was aborted, when the gang finally realized that they had no chance of success.  
  
-  
  
Romeo sat in his cabinet, four soldiers of his personal brigade in front of him and ten others behind them. He was furious.  
  
"So what did you do, let them go?" He asked, his voice as sharp as the blade he was holding.  
  
The four remained silent, not daring to look him in the eye. Romeo rose from his chair and put his blade on the table. Instead, he pulled a small knife out of the pocket of his white pants and leaned onto the table, eyeing his failed trainees.  
  
"I presume they threatened you with death. That they would kill anyone who tries to stop them." Romeo grinned, slightly bowing his head to the left.  
  
With one quick move, he threw the knife to the right wall. But instead of ricocheting to the ground, the sharp iron twisted around and flew back across the room at incredible speed.  
  
It returned to Romeo as four young men, dressed in white suits, fell to the ground, dark blood flooding out of their slit throats. Their master kissed the crimson blade, putting it back in his pocket.  
  
"Anybody else insists on keeping his pathetic life?" He said, raising his voice to the ten scholars standing in the back. They held their breath, witnessing the execution of their friends right before their eyes.  
  
"Let that be a lesson to you." He asked, not a single soul replying to his question. He stood up, straightening his garment.  
  
"Not all of us are meant to live." He said, looking at each of the disciples with cold, dead eyes.  
  
"Find them and don't bother coming back unless they're dead." He said, sprawling out his right arm. "Leave."  
  
When all had abandoned the room, Romeo walked up to one of the four corpses and sat beside him on the floor. He lifted the boy's head and looked into his eyes.  
  
He closed the young one's eyelids with his fingers and put his head back down. Romeo's eyes went red, as he buried his head between his arms. The four dead bodies were the only witnesses to his tears.


	7. Fate

Disclaimer: I do not own Gogo Yubari

Author's note: This chapter features some angst and tragedy scenes (don't say I didn't warn you)

Please read and review

-

The nightmare was always the same:  
  
_Rain was hitting the pavement with insane fury as Kiruga crawled through the muddy ground, spitting out dirt as somebody repeatedly pressed his head into the washed up earth beneath him.  
  
He never saw the figure – he was too weak to roll around and look at him. So he continued crawling towards his gun, desperately trying to reach it. But he always failed. He always died...  
  
The pain was unimaginable as a sharp metal dug into his back, ripping through his spine as if it was paper. Kiruga yelled, looking at the mud beneath him that went red from his own blood.  
  
A moment later, the pain reached its peak as the blade proceeded to his neck, cutting his flesh to shreds and cracking every bone on its way. Kiruga could only manage a blank stare as the sword dug itself into his head, piercing through his brain.  
_  
They never changed – his dreams. Only one thing separated them from one another – how long the pain held on. It grew bigger with every new day.  
  
-  
  
Kiruga woke up, screaming with bestial agony. He quickly checked his surroundings and noticed that he wasn't in his own room anymore. His memory struggled, trying to recollect what had happened to him before he fell asleep.  
  
The door flew open as one of his troops broke it down with force, a worried expression on his face. "What happened?" He screamed.  
  
Kiruga slowly regained his memento and waved the man back to where he had come from. He was in the hotel, far away from Asaki and his former residence.  
  
Damn it, will this ever stop?  
  
He got out of his bed and swiftly got dressed. Fresh air would help him, he was sure.  
  
The operation had been a complete success, that girl Gogo had blasted the weaponry to hell, and they suffered only minimal casualties. Things were running very smoothly for their little gang.  
  
The soldier left the hotel, trying to resemble a saloon from the Old West – failing miserably at said attempt.  
  
Outside, the air was fresh and the wind was playing in the fields, along with two figures, wielding swords.  
  
Kiruga came closer, completely captivated by the beautiful sight: the two figures were almost dancing as their swords clashed with charming elegancy in each and every movement.  
  
He smiled, witnessing the friendly spar between Yubari and Retsuja, the two young lovers. Some couples preferred kissing around, others liked dancing and yet others enjoyed fighting each other with samurai blades. That was the beauty of love – everybody has his own concept.  
  
Kiruga decided not to bother them and started walking down the road, enjoying a cheap cigarette and the beautiful night. Clouds were forming in the sky, rain would fall soon – that was sure. But that didn't distract Kiruga from walking the idyllic country road, which would soon transform into an ugly highway.  
  
Fate is an inescapable thing and often ruthless. It always gets you, not giving you any road to escape and always forcing you to the ground. Kiruga froze as the rain started dripping faster, transforming the dirt road into a muddy bank.  
  
As he turned around, he saw fate on four wheels as it stopped nearby and ten figures exited its doors. Blinding white suits, even in this rain he could barely look at them without covering his eyes. His feet weren't moving, his boots buried in the mud as the figures came closer.  
  
His new friends had told him about them – Hakata's bodyguard Romeo's private brigade. Ruthless killing machines, always dressed in fancy white clothes and carrying white sword sheaths. And Kiruga suddenly felt mesmerized. All his life he never went anywhere unarmed – he even slept with a shotgun in his hands. But now, all he had was his bare knuckles...  
  
The only thing that could save him was the fact that Romeo's thugs didn't know about him being Gogo's ally – this was the only fact that stood between life and death for him right now.  
  
Dreary mud covered the men's garment as they walked towards the soldier, who couldn't move a muscle. Their faces were almost apocryphal with their distant and cold, grey eyes and motionless faces. His ghosts of death seemed almost too perfect: as if some Hollywood director had made them up, especially for him.  
  
"We need to ask you a few questions." One of them asked Kiruga, his voice as soothing as a fresh spring breeze.  
  
"Be my guest." Kiruga answered, trying to keep a calm face.  
  
His dialog partner suddenly rushed forward, digging his sword handle into Kiruga's stomach and throwing him on the floor, face forward. He fell without resistance, his body felt weak and helpless.  
  
"We're searching for a young girl and her friends." The voice sounded from behind, echoing with delicacy.  
  
"I ain't no fucking pedophile!" Kiruga forced out some words as he received a kick to his stomach.  
  
"Gogo Yubari." The figure said, his voice as cold as an ocean of icebergs.  
  
"What a silly name, you ought to change it, boy." Kiruga said, spitting out blood.  
  
Another fierce hit paralyzed his legs, Kiruga swallowing down the pain.  
  
"Act smart." The voice soothed. "Tell us where she is and I will offer you a quick death."  
  
Kiruga smirked and started crawling...the nightmare was getting reality. But one thing had changed – he could change the outcome, if only a little bit.  
  
_**Rain was hitting the pavement with insane fury as Kiruga crawled through the muddy ground, spitting out dirt as somebody repeatedly pressed his head into the washed up earth beneath him.**_  
  
He knew who was hitting his head into the mud and he was an alive being. That meant that Kiruga could kill him.  
  
He heard the sound of a blade, being pulled out of its sheath and stroked upward.  
  
Kiruga felt his body coming back to him and with animal strength, he rolled to the side as the blade hit the dirt and buried itself into the sand. This was his chance...  
  
He jumped to his feet and thrashed his fist into the white suit's face, as he received a fierce blow to the head from behind – they were just too many.  
  
Kiruga's face buried itself in the mud, his strength at an end.  
  
_**The pain was unimaginable as a sharp metal dug into his back, ripping through his spine as if it was paper. Kiruga yelled, looking at the mud beneath him that went red from his own blood.**_  
  
Kiruga cried, he couldn't fight fate – it did not consist of flesh and blood and had no weak spots. It hit you when you least expected and never missed its target. But fate was about to change...  
  
When Vivienne reached him, he was already dead. Five other corpses lied next to him, covered in blood.  
  
**_A moment later, the pain reached its peak as the blade proceeded to his neck, cutting his flesh to shreds and cracking every bone on its way. Kiruga could only manage a blank stare as the sword dug itself into his head, piercing through his brain._  
**  
But his blank stare came with a faint smile, appearing right before he died. He had changed the outcome, if only a little bit.


	8. Nocturne Visitors and Petty Talkers

Romeo looked at the wall clock – 3:30 AM. Coughing down hard, he sighed and lied down on his bed again. It was already his third pack of cigarettes since he had first heard about Kiruga's farewell present to him and his guards.

Never, in his whole life, had Romeo ever mourned the dead. That would have been simply way too time consuming and quite inadequate and inappropriate for a man with his métier. But right now, his heart was convulsing with pain while his mind was convulsing with fear.

If Gogo and her new lover were able to convince a killer with such phenomenal abilities like Kiruga to fight for them and to sacrifice his own life for their sake, then they had become extremely dangerous. So dangerous, that Romeo felt he would need assistance himself, just for security reasons. There was no more thought of eradicating them. That had been going on too badly for too long.

Romeo's thoughts had made his surroundings completely obsolete to his mind and he didn't even see the gun being pointed at him, before a smooth female voice rudely interrupted his contemplation.

"I give you exactly ten seconds to prove you're serious before I unload this gun into your face."

Suddenly the expression on the woman's face changed slightly, as the barrel of another gun was rapidly pressed into her neck. Romeo's white guard had sneaked up behind the sneaker.

"The unspoken word is sufficient, don't you agree?" Romeo said, turning his head towards the nocturne visitor.

The woman stepped forward, dropping her gun and her face was revealed to Romeo. But while he was admiring her classy looks, he didn't notice how fast she withdrew a small knife from her pants and shoved it into the poor guard, standing behind her.

The pauper collapsed to the ground as the woman lifted her gun up into the air with foot and gripped it in her right hand, pointing it back at Romeo.

"Indeed it is. I bet he knew the value of it." She said, shoving the corpse aside with her shoe.

"You didn't have todo that." Romeo icily replied.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"What I'm talking about is that I've lost over two dozen of my best men over the past few weeks and that you didn't necessarily have to add another one to that list!"

"You lost a fucking thug, big deal."

"They ain't thugs, they've all been trained by me."

"You should have stuck to being a killer."

"You didn't have tokill the fucking kid, dammit."

"Yeah, I didn't." The lady agreed. "But I did, ok? And that's fucking that."

Romeo stared at her for a second and then shook his head, before reaching for his pack of cigarettes.

"Where's that sleazy, no good hand of yours think she's going?"

Romeo presented the pack to the female's eyes, offering the lady a cigarette, before he suddenly jerked forward and wrested the gun from her hand, now pointing it in her direction.

"Shut the fuck up and sit down on that chair." He ordered in a cold voice, nodding towards the chair next to the bed.

The gun barrel accompanied the lady's motion right until she finally sat her ass down.

"Hands on your shanks, little lady."

The lady obeyed, letting out a small sigh, a nice, warm smile on her face.

"Right, here's the deal: I say things only once and I hate being interrupted whilst I'm saying them, so while I'm talking just nod or shake your head for 'yes' and 'no' respectively, comprende?"

She replied with a formal nod.

"Splendid. Shall we?"

-

When Gogo entered the room, everybody rose from their seat and looked in her direction. But she walked past, almost as if she hadn't noticed and only then turned around, now fronting her whole audience.

"I'd like to start, so take your seats." She commenced, her voice as strong and confident as ever.

Satsuro and Vivienne sat down next to each other, Kiruga's men sitting next to them in one row, facing Gogo, with troubled expressions on their faces.

"This past week has changed our lives." She coughed, now raising her voice.

"We mourn those who have fell, fighting for us. And we salute those who have survived. But it is now when we have to face our most difficult challenge."

Gogo approached her auditors, her hands crossed on her chest.

"We no longer want to be part of Tokyo. We want to become Tokyo. And we will."

She smirked, looking at the pessimistic visages of Kiruga's combatants.

"We will eradicate those who have stood in our way for too long and gotten away with it too often. We will seek and find new friends and new fighters to aid us in our battle. And now is the time to do so."

Gogo paused for a second, glancing at her team of killers that were preparing to start the bloodiest war that New Age Tokyo had ever seen or even imagined.

"Right now, is when the wealthiest and most powerful bosses are in panic, and they're panicking because of our achievements. Hiding from them, holding back is the sure road to perdition for all of us. In order to survive, we must attack them. This may be the one chance any of us could ever have hoped to get once in his life."

She smiled, with her back turned to her batallion.

"And you may feel certain when you reckon I'm not gonna miss out on that one."

She turned around, her eyes glowing with delight at the anticipation of what she had just effectuated with her petty pathos-ridden speech: her audience, slow but sure, was getting aroused by those simple, overblown statements she had just fired off.

Gogo Yubari was deeply satisfied.


	9. Preparations

Lorelei lit up a cigarette and switched the stereo way up. She had been driving for 8 straight hours, and by now was as tired as one can possibly imagine. Once in a while some car raced past her, but at 3 am, it didn't happen rather frequently.

The .44 rested on the passenger's seat, covered up by Lorelei's dark red overcoat and dark hat. An unexpected and nice gesture from Romeo to actually hand the piece back to her after that rather unwise stunt of hers. She remembered his exhausted look – Yubari's crew must have gotten to him pretty seriously.

Lorelei lost some speed and rolled the side window down, exhaling a line of thick smoke and snipping the ash out into the open. Her face looked extraordinary pretty, drenched in moonlight.

The car made a sharp left turn and halted in front of a tavern. The young woman exited the car, putting on her coat and placing the .44 in her left pocket. Her hat completed the image.

The door was unlocked and the interior was all dark and deserted. It didn't look like the place had all too many customers in the past time. Lorelei approached the desk and hit on one of those bells, you used to have attached to your bikes when you were little.

It took a while, but somebody did show up after all: the guy looked in his late 40s and walked in a very awkward fashion, one step at a time, gripping his stomach tightly with his hands. It amused the lady in a way.

He finally reached the desk, sat down and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a cloth, lying on the desk. Lorelei waited patiently, but he didn't say a word. So she decided to start up the conversation herself.

"Evening."

The man nodded slightly.

"I'd like a room, something not too fancy, know what I mean?"

Once again, he nodded, at the same time reaching for that cloth. Lorelei grew gradually bored by the situation and reached inside her pocket, but not yet drawing her weapon.

"Look, I know it's late and all, but I'm way too fucking tired to…"

The man wiped his face once more. Lorelei shook her head.

"Just give me the keys, ok?"

He nodded and opened one of the desk drawers. He then shut it, presenting Lorelei with a key to her room.

"Thanks a bunch." She said, taking them and descending up the stairs.

-

Gogo stood alone in her room, naked, looking at herself in the mirror. Her 'suit' hung by the bed, still sparkling, even after all that action she had been through. She stroked her fingers through her hair.

"So far, so good." She whispered.

A knock on the door interrupted her contemplation.

"Yes?"

"Only me." Vivienne purred through the door.

Gogo climbed into her bed, covering herself up with the silk sheets.

"Go ahead."

Vivienne entered, dressed in a light grey suit and sporting a tie. She closed the door and leaned against it with her back.

"Where's lover-boy?"

"Out, sparring with some of the guys."

"Is that so?" The blonde slowly walked forward and then stopped, looking at her mirror image.

"Stylish little costume, don't you think?"

"Think now's the right time to go out shopping?" Gogo asked, slightly sarcastic.

"Hey, you're the one who snatched herself a cute little ass along the way. I still got to find me some…stallion!"

They both chuckled at that last remark as Vivienne turned away from the mirror and walked towards Gogo's bed. The French took a seat on it and relaxed all the way back, turning her head towards her chief. They both quieted down, a kind of uncomfortable silence occuring for a brief moment.

In a quite unanticipated way, Vivienne formed the two fingers of her left hand to a walking pair and tardily started 'walking' her way up to the border of Gogo's sheet. Yubari watched, her breath slightly dithering. Vivienne's hand softly grasped the sheet and started pulling it down, ever so slowly, exposing the gentle skin of Gogo's body inch after delicate inch.

Gogo's collarbone trembled as she swallowed some air, watching Vivienne's right hand touching the bare skin of her shank and stroking it softly with her fingertips. Thesense of excitementwas incomparable to anything young Yubari had ever experienced before.Vivienne's hand slowly made its way further upwards and Gogo let out a soft moan of pleasure as the French slid it down to the sensual area between her thighs.

Vivienne never let her eyes off the Japanese, perceiving her every pant of breath with genuine delight.

Gogo shut her eyelids and clasped the bedsheet tightly with her hands.

Vivienne progressed her motion even further, softly biting her lower lip with anticipation.

"Please...Vivienne." Gogo whispered. "I...can't...longer wait."

The blonde smiled, already feeling her fingertips gingerly touching her...

The sound of footsteps at the door made her rapidly stop. The two looked at each other and Gogo quickly covered herself back up. Then a most miraculous thing happened: the two suddenly burst out in laughter.

Satsuro entered the room and stopped dead in his tracks, seeing the fancy-dressed Vivienne, crawling on the floor with tears in her eyes and laughing like a maniac. And his girlfriend on the bed, equally in hysteria.

"Everything…" He coughed. "Everything alright, ladies?"

Vivienne waved her hand at him, then looked back at Gogo and started laughing even louder.

"Hey baby!" Gogo managed through her laughter. She took a few deep breaths, desperately trying to quit laughing, but failed in her attempt and instead it got even worse as Satsuro just kept on standing by the door, pretty much confused.

It took quite a while for both of them to settle down.

Gogo cleared her throat as Vivienne stood up, straightening her suit.

"Your girlfriend's quite the comedian." She smiled, looking at Gogo and blowing her a kiss.

She then walked out, pinching Satsuro's cheek on her way as she passed him. She shut the door, leaving the two alone in their room.

They looked at each other in silence for a few moments, before Gogo let out a big sigh and smiled, pressing her cheek against the pillow.

"How was spar, honey?"

-

Romeo rang the doorbell, causing a massive echo coming from within the building. A moment later, it was opened by a young maid that proceeded pulling the door up to herself. It resembled a fierce struggle, so Romeo decided to assist her and pushed it forward, thus forcing the maid to the floor.

"Shit." He mumbled, swiftly entering the noble edifice.

He offered the maid his hand and she was back up on her feet in no time.

"Thank you." She spat out, running off back to her duties.

"Think nothing of it." Romeo said to himself.

He was in the reception hall of the Zhang residence. The virgin white walls were all painted in a Christian, religious fashion, with the glass ceiling going up to a dozen feet in height.

Zhang himself was already approaching his guest.

"I hope my shallow residence meets your taste, old friend!" He said, walking in a fast-paced fashion towards Romeo.

The assassin, his hands clasped behind his back, firmly nodded, a quaint smile present on his face.

"Truly a delight to see you after all those years, Toshiro!" Zhang said, offering his hand.

"No one's called me that for a long time, Zhang."

"Aren't you content I haven't forgotten it?" Zhang smiled.

"No. I rid myself of that name for a reason." Romeo replied, his hands still behind his back.

"So what is the name you go by nowadays?" Zhang didn't seem to be in any way offended by his decline ofthe handshake.

"Romeo."

"Cliché." Zhang shook his head. "How disappointing."

"I'm grieved, Zhang." Romeo seemed slightly stressed.

Zhang kept his silence for a while as the two of them walked into the dining hall of his villa.

"Fancy classical music?"

Romeo shrugged his shoulders and, with a snap of Zhang's fingers, a magnificent Schubert filled the air.

They took a seat at the table and a maid brought them a bottle of sparkling "Widow Clucaut" and two glasses. Zhang nodded and the maid retired back to her room.

Zhang filled their glasses.

"You know, the musketeers in France used to drink this, back when sonnyboy Louis was heir to the throne. It's fairly cheap, but at least it has a history."

Romeo lifted his glass and gulped it down. Zhang merely shook his head.

"So much of you is a contradiction, Zhang, that you yourself must get confused sometimes." Romeo stated, lighting a cigarette and offering one to Zhang.

"What do you mean?" He asked, accepting the offer and taking Romeo's lighter.

"You're Chinese, right? You live in a suburb of Tokyo. You finance this entire lovely house through your export business with the fair city of New York. And you wish you were a fucking European. What do you consider yourself to be, really?"

Zhang smiled, taking a long drag.

"Do you think it is important to wake up every day and say you're Japanese or Chinese or American? Does that help you in any way at all?"

"It makes clear where I stand and what I stand for."

"Oh? And what do you think you stand for, Romeo? New-age-Japanese ideals? You're a killer, for fuck's sake! You earn your bread for slicing up innocent civilians!"

"I do at least try to think I'm ridding this town of drug-bosses and Yakuzas-"

"And who are you doing it for? The simple folk?"

Zhang let out a small giggle.

"You're killing one gang, just so another can take over and continue their work. You 'rid' this town of one group of pushers, so that another group can carry out their business better. You're as useful to this town as they are."

"I like to think that's a taste of opinion."

"You can think what you want."

Romeo dropped the cigarette into his glass and stood up from his chair.

"All right, let's cut the bullshit. I'm here to ask for a favor."

"'Ask for a favor'? You really do pick your expressions, don't you?"

"I'm arranging a meeting with a group of assassins that have become particularly dangerous for me."

"And you want to use my place?"

"I want you to arrange a major ball at your place, so they feel comfortable about coming here. Invite all your friends from shipping and investment, tanker chiefs, fishers, I don't give a shit, just make it a grand fucking event."

Zhang smirked, putting his cigarette in Romeo's glass and grasping his own as he stood up.

"I can do that."

Romeo smiled.

"I knew you could."

Zhang suddenly splashed the contents of his glass right into Romeo's face.

"But if I ever see your fucked-up face near my house after that again, I'll have it flouncing in a fishnet by next morning."

Zhang's eyes looked as calm as ever. Romeo took a towel from the table and wiped his face, before throwing it on the floor.

"Nice seeing you, Zhang."

"You too."

Romeo turned his back and descended back towards the exit as Zhang stood still until he shut the door. He then threw his glass against the wall and watched the shards arrange a pattern on the floor.

"Christ."


	10. One Night I

Miles Davis' "Autumn Leaves" soothed on the café's jukebox. Romeo sat in the back table of the room, in the company of a wine bottle and a half-empty glass. His eyes glanced up at a vintage clock, hanging on the wall across from him. It was getting late.

Lorelei's car shut out its lights and came to a halt right in front of an obscure building. The sign read "The Salon". Jazz had become the latest gig in Tokyo a while ago, much to Lorelei's discomfort since she was an outspoken despiser of it all her life.

"Kept you waitin', huh?" The woman in the red overcoat asked Romeo as she sat down at his table. Her deft hands readily picked up the menu and flipped through its content, before putting it back down with a subtle sigh of dissapointment.

"Whatsamatter? You that mad?"

"Mad? Oh, far from anything near that." Romeo smiled, before suddenly reaching out and gripping Lorelei's wrist and pulling her towards him. He then leaned forward.

"You know there's a quite reasonable reason why I don't show my face in public places all that often, my dear." His voice rang in an educative fashion. "The reason is that almost every single soul in this fuck-forsaken city has a very plain and most intelligible desire to chop me up and throw me to the vultures!"

He pushed Lorelei back in her seat as she touched her pain-stricken wrist.

"You should listen to people from time to time, Romeo. Maybe then that desire will cool off someday." She grabbed his pack of smokes and tensely lit up a cigarette.

"You mean you've got an explanation for your being late?"

"Fuckin' straight, I got an explanation for my being late"

"Well, my ass is already on fire!"

"What?" Lorelei asked, chuckling. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"I see you don't keep up with the slang-thing that much."

"No, I don't. And there's a pretty good reason too. But I guess that one made a slick 180 around you."

"Get to the point already." Romeo said. His conversations with red-coated Lorelei always tended to lose themselves in purposelessness.

"Fine, fine, here is: I met up with them this afternoon. Yubari agreed to the meeting. They took me to a hotel where we discussed the details…by then it was as dark as fucking pitch outside." Lorelei took a long drag on her cigareta.

"What then?"

Lorelei gave Romeo a suspicious look.

"Who's that blonde chick?"

Romeo lifted his brow. "What blonde chick?"

"A girl named Vivienne. There was Gogo, her stud, a few of Kiruga's men and her. Who is she?"

This was certainly not one of Romeo's better memories, but Lorelei did deserve to know.

"Apparently," Romeo said, taking a sip of his wine, "they picked her up at a joint called La Granda. Vivienne was the one that made my boys shit their britches when she pointed her two water-pistols at them. She's been withGogo's posse ever since. Her name leads to believe she's French."

"What do you know about her relationship with Yubari?"

Romeo shrugged his shoulders. "Not much. Good friends, I suppose."

"I think you underestimate the 'good friends' bit."

"You mean…"

Lorelei nodded, smiling. "I mean I saw they way they looked at each other. They must've done it all day before I arrived. That boyfriend of hersbetter be on some sort of dusk-till-dawn acid trip if he still doesn't know about it." She put out her cigarette. "Unless of course, he likes to watch."

Romeo shook his head with a wide-open grin on his face as he filled his glass once more.

"So the meeting's set for tomorrow, right?"

"That's the latest update."

"I want you to come along with me tomorrow."

"And why's that?"

"I'll feel better that way."

Lorelei smiled. "Wow. A rare sensation - getting compliments from your side."

Romeo felt like saying something, but instead kept silent.

"It almost makes up for the wrist, I'll tell you that." Lorelei said, leaning forward.

"I'm glad."

The jukebox rustled Ella Fitzgerald's "Fever".

"I love that song." Lorelei sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I hate jazz, but that bass…"

"You know, I used to play once." Romeo finally dared to speak up.

"Fuck you."

"Fuck you back, I played bass. Back when I was in the school orchestra."

That did it. Lorelei broke out in tears of uncontrollable laughter.

Slowly but surely, Romeo cracked up as well.

This night they needed it.

Satsuro's blade hit the cold pavement of the former schoolyard. The place had become training ground for Gogo's combatants. Right now, there was only one standing upon it.

He felt so weak. For too long now, he was no longer avenging his murdered parents but clashing swords with Kiruga's grim thugs and watching his girlfriend become less and less interested in him. And Retsuja knew he had himself to blame.

Maybe it was all happening too fast…so many new things going on at once and now this meeting. He still couldn't believe what he was doing. He agreed to a friendly meeting with the man who cold-bloodedly killed the life he had. It made him sick. He made himself sick.

Satsuro needed something. A fight. A drink. A girl. Something to give his mind some peace. Something that would restore his dignity. Just for this one night.

The latehour bus came in like clockwork as young Retsuja boarded it. He looked out the window at his Katana, shimmering in the twilight of the desolate yard. The bus took off.

Gogo looked at herself in the mirror. Vivienne's naked body reflected in it, glowing with that devilish beauty of hers. The sleeping French was bathed in sweat, not unlike young Yubari, standing in the bathroom.

It's just a phase.

Right now you feel fucked-up. You feel your chest could burst at any second. You have too much fucking responsibility. You're mad at the others because they do every single fucking thing you say. You wake up, drenched in sweat because you have nightmares of them being killed and how helpless you would be then.

You wish that blonde that almost killed you could be here to end it all this second.

You wish the blonde in your bed wouldn't look so much like her.

You wish that's not the reason why you fuck her.

Gogo closed the shower curtains.


	11. One Night II

The bus halted next to a parking lot of a run-down building. Satsuro breathed in the city air as he stepped out of the vehicle. A maladorant smell accompanied the transport's departure.

Retsuja started walking down the gloomy street, contemplating his next actions when a horrific scene, taking place across the street, blew the meditative silence from his mind like a cyclone would a fisherboat.

A young woman was being held up against a wall by two horny juveniles, probably not even as old as 16. The first one held her head tightly in his arms and squeezed her jaw with his fingers, so she would not scream. The other tentatively lifted up her skirt, wetting his index finger in his mouth while gripping a knife in the other.

"'Fuck me.'" The lecherous dope with the knife said. "Say it. Pino, let her say it. 'Fuck me'"

"How fucking so, man? I've got her jaw squeezed like a melon over here, how the fuck is she supposed to –".

"Hey, fuck you! I said let her say it!"

"You're a dumb-fucking jerk, Kino!" Pino said, gritting his teeth.

"Let her fucking say it -"

Satsuro's heel cracked Kino's nose like a hazel-nut. For a beat he watched the adolescent rapist cover his face, screaming. Retsuja's hand then quickly picked Kino's knife up from the ground and tossed it right into Pino's foot as the latter fell to the ground, biting through the flesh of his lip as his eyes filled up with tears from the staggering pain.

The woman also collapsed onto her knees, unbearably weak.

Without his face betraying an emotion, Retsuja shut out Kino's lights for good as his fist hammered straight through the teen's adam's apple. Then, without hesitation, he walked over to Pino, pulled the knife out of his bleeding foot and shoved it into his mouth as the blade went out the back of his neck. The sheer and bitter horror of Pino's pain could now only be guessed from his eyes.

He had never in his life expected to be so completely satisfied after killing a much weaker opponent than himself. Although others in his position would have considered this act pathetic, Satsuro actually enjoyed and savoured the two fools' complete inability to withstand him. He enjoyed it, in fact, even more than he enjoyed rescuing the helpless young woman that now stared at him with both dread and gratefulness in her eyes.

The once naïve and romantic assassin that had been tortured by his weakness and atimy, left the crime scene as a completely new person. A completely new character. One that had no friends waiting for him or girl to long for. No honor to protect or ideals to serve. One that would kill for the pleasure of it and die without penance for his deeds.

One that his friends and opponents would know nothing about of.

* * *

Vivienne purred, waking up from a delicious dream. Her luscious body curved up as the French girl's eyes revealed the one that woke her up: It was her lover, Gogo. 

Gogo had her gun stuck right between Vivienne's eyes as she sat on the chair by the bed. She was wearing her school-uniform, for the first time in a very long time.

"Hey." She whispered gently. "I must've woken you."

Vivienne's laugh wailed through the room. She then smiled at Gogo's motionless face.

"I should remember this when I ask myself why in the hell I'm sleeping with you. You're, without a doubt, the craziest fruitcake bitch in the world."

"You're a cheap, piece-of-shit slut, Vivienne."

"That's just what I'd put in my CV."

"Do you think I care about you?"

"You mean me as a person or me as a fuck-matress?"

Gogo smashed the butt of her gun into pretty Vivienne's face, stood up and pressed the gun barrel against the blonde's temple.

"Do you really think I do?"

Vivienne glanced up at Yubari. She couldn't even force herself to start and believe what was going on.

"Do you?" Gogo screamed as she rammed the gun against the French girl's ear.

Yubari sat on top of Vivienne. Her clothes rubbed against Vivienne's naked flesh as the gun made its way over her lips.

"You know I was watching your ass in the mirror earlier this night. It looked so beautiful, covered with sweat. Like I just hadn't eaten you out."

The gun moved over Vivienne's breasts as she gasped for breath, trembling with pain.

"You know, you're not my first one. I just wanted to tell you. O-Ren and Sofi, they just lo-oved watching me perform in front of them. I liked it too. They didn't touch me and I was completelycontent with showing my body to them as they smiled at me. But then, one day, O-Ren asked me to perform for her. Alone. I went. But instead of watching me, she told me to sit down next to her. I did. She lifted my hand and kissed it. She then told me to touch her breasts. I did. She asked me if I liked doing so. I said yes. Then she asked me to pinch her nipples. Hard, so it would hurt her. I did. She spoke my name very fast, as if she were chanting." Gogo moved her mouth to Vivienne's ear as the gun fronted her throat. "And then I slid my hand under her kimono and between her legs. She told me to fuck her. Then she moaned. And then she came." Gogo smiled. "And then she told me to get the fuck out."

Yubari looked back at the thunderstruck French..

"That's how much a fruitcake I am, sexy." She threw the gun into the corner of the room. "Sorry about your face."

She stood up and left the room, slamming the door behind her with a loud thump.

Vivienne relaxed back in her bed and covered her face as she broke out in crying.

* * *

Lorelei lit up a cigarette, rolling out of Romeo's embrace. The hotel room was cheap but in a homely sort of way. 

"You know," She said after quite a long pause. "We should do this more often."

Romeo didn't say anything. He felt really weird. 'This', as Lorelei called it, didn't happen to him all that often.

"What's the matter? Guilty conscience?" Lorelei asked in a playful voice as she turned to look at Romeo's concerned face. "Don't worry, all you did was all I asked."

"Stop, please."

"What? If something's bothering you, then tell me."

"What do you mean 'something's bothering me'? You know fucking well what's bothering me. The fact that you and me are probably gonna get killed tomorrow." Romeo's voice rang with anger.

"Oh," Lorelei turned on her back. "That."

"Cut it out with that shit, will you?"

"Well, what the fuck appears to be the problem, dear?" Lorelei asked, stressed. "Is this the first time in your life that you're in danger? Jesus, I thought you were the guy that all Tokyo wanted 'chopped-up and trown to the vultures'!"

Lorelei looked at him. "Or weren't you?"

Romeo sighed. "Fuck it. Forget it." He stood up from the bed and started putting on his clothes.

"Pull yourself together, honey, you're kinda scaring me." Lorelei said cautiously.

Romeo smiled. "Of course. This…all this was just…regular for you, right? Like going to the gym in the morning or getting your hair done or whatever the fuck it is you do all day."

He put on his shoes and approached the door. Lorelei leapt up from the bed and fronted him. A genuine smile marked her face.

"So you thought this was special?"

Romeo didn't answer, but didn't move an inch.

"Oh my god. I'm sorry. I just thought you wanted to get your mind off tomorrow, you know, chill out or something like that."

"Can I leave now?"

He shoved her aside, never awaiting her answer.

"Usual place, tomorrow at noon. I expect to see you there."

With that he left the room, leaving Lorelei completely flabbergasted by the door.

As she closed the door and climbed back into her bed, she amazed herself at the thought of how rich just one single night can be.

Then she fell asleep.


	12. Who Survives?

Author's note: This chapter is not told in chronological order. This may cause some confusion, but I think after reading it twice it won't be a problem to puzzle the pieces together. Here goes ;)

* * *

"So now you're here at the very end: blood-splattered, frightened, drugged. And you don't have a clue what's going on. And everybody's dead. So what are you gonna do?" 

Vivienne smashed against the marble, breaking her nose. He just stood there, watching her bleed as she dropped to the floor. Her hands were cold, her legs were shaking - a bloody mess.

His car chased along the downtown streets. The bright lights of the lampposts and midnight discotheques blinded Romeo as he held her close, pressing his left hand tightly against her breast. Blood ran from the wound. She'd never make it. It was his fault.

"I see you came alone." Romeo's voice rang like a thud inside her head. Don't let him get to you that easy. Get it together. You don't wanna die like that, do you? He can't find out. If he does, you're done for. Say something. Say something! …Gogo's feet weakened and she collapsed to the floor, motionless.

"No!" Satsuro shouted as the cold steel pierced his shoulder. He never saw her enter. But now, one quick move, just one turn… The bullets danced on her belly like the rain on early morning puddles. She screamed. And then the blonde one too… Black.

"What a fucked-up night, huh?" He sounded strange… Vivienne slid aside, letting him sit down beside her. He flipped a cigarette into his mouth and exhaled loudly. "What's with your face?" He asked. She turned away. The rain got worse – the make-up didn't help.

Lorelei checked her watch. He was late. How could he be late? Now! He told her to meet him here as always. Did he go alone? Is he crazy? That son of a bitch won't survive a second on his own… This is the last time I'm saving your dumb ass.

"C'mon, stop fucking bleeding! What the hell were you thinking? What the fuck's the matter with you? I never told you to come looking for me. I never asked for your help. Why didn't you let her kill me? You never fucking asked me if I didn't want to! I wanted to! You hear me now? You fucking hear me now, you no-good fucking whore! I wanted to! And now I'm here. And you're gonna die. For nothing!" The tears blinded him. He felt their salty taste on his lips. He made a hard turn, crossing a cop. The siren blasted.

Shostakovich's Waltz resounded like thunder in Gogo's skull. What was he thinking? Why was he helping you? Here you are, served up on a fucking plate and he's carrying you through the hall. Waiters. Guests. Champagne. Shostakovich. Death's medley.

She crawled to the pavement. That girl shot her. But she didn't aim too well. What the fuck, that girl looked like a platoon had just taken shooting lessons on her stomach. So what now? Shout for help? You can't even moan. Wait! That couple… C'mon. One scream. One little squeal. They'll hear you. My god, you're pathetic.

Lorelei woke up. The overhead mirror wasn't nice: her eyes were bloodshot and her nose ran like hell. But she survived. How stupid to die in a car crash on this kind of day…

Satsuro's car wheeled through the highway as Vivienne tried to fight off his grip. This was not the way to go. Not like this and not because of him. She bit his arm!

Gogo fell asleep in Romeo's backseat. What a fucking joke. That little fuck had drugged her drink. And now he had Vivienne. Sick, twisted swine had quite the night. One day he's all over you and now he's off, raping your friend. Sarcasm helps in situations like these.

The tires screeched. Twice.

The car smashed into the parking lot.

Lorelei's car… She had an accident. Gogo jolted awake from the sudden halt. Vivienne's car… Jesus fucking Christ!

"C'mon, let's go, let's go, let's go!" The doctors ran the bloody mess that was Lorelei on a thin bed through the corridor. Romeo ran close behind.

He thrust the door open: three bodies lay there in the dark. Lorelei. A blonde. That boy.

Gogo smashed her fist against his neck, slamming him to the ground. Her heel cracked his nose. They're dead. They're all dead!

"Stop here. Wait right there!" Romeo kicked against the wall in fury. Now he was to wait until they told him she was dead. Now he had lots of time to drown in his own blame.

Punch. Another. Another. He doesn't seem to mind. Fucking freak. He keeps whispering. A girl's name: "Lorelei…Lorelei…". Punch him again! Shut the fuck up!

"Oh my good, poor thing! Morris, get the car, quick!" The woman sat down beside Gogo.

Act dead. Act fucking dead!

Gogo whipped out his gun. Romeo closed his eyes. He was ready. If it's to be like this, it's just as well. She's dead too. So what fucking right to live have you got?

Lorelei aimed once. The bullet penetrated Gogo's leg. Yubari fell to the ground, yelping in pain. "Lorelei!" Romeo leaped up and grabbed her. Her eyes were white.

The couple rode along the street. Gogo opened her eyes.

"So now you're here at the very end: blood-splattered, frightened, drugged. And you don't have a clue what's going on. And everybody's dead. So what are you gonna do?"

Yubari felt the blade of her knife under her skirt sharpen with lust.

Bloodlust.

* * *

Add your thoughts with a review - it will be greatly appreciated ;) 


	13. New Deal

The early morning wind… it can be a savior, she thought, taking in the bloom of fresh, cool air as she relaxed in her deckchair. The balcony was set up in a homely sort of way: a woolen rug covered the cold, stone floor; a ceiling lamp hung above her, waiting for the night to come.

Renee had given her the keys to the place. Gogo scoffed at the memory of her storming into the older lady's house, her leg bloodshot and splintered, her face covered in tears of pain. She wailed like a sailor's newborn – Renee gave her some Valium and brought in a doctor to look at her. The fever lasted over a week…

What had happened to Vivienne? Was Satsuro dead or was he still out there, hiding?

Gogo lit a match and flipped a cigarette into her mouth, just like she watched Belmondo do it once. Now there was time to think over some stuff…

-

"Eight-fifty." The dealer muttered.

Romeo silently gave him a ten-dollar bill and walked away.

New York City…

His white garment shone even against the hospital's white-pasted walls. Romeo hit the button and awaited the elevator.

When he reached the 11th floor he was swiftly pushed back inside.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Zhang shut the elevator door and pressed 'Stop'.

"I told you to keep away from her", he sounded agitated, "Did I or didn't I tell you?"

Romeo shrugged. "I bought her some flowers."

"Very nice." Zhang took the bouquet from Romeo's hands. "Get the fuck out."

"How is she?"

Zhang shook his head in anger. He opened the door.

"Zhang," Romeo shouted as the latter walked away, "Zhang!"

Romeo slammed his shoe against the wall. He then stepped back in and the door slid shut.

-

The ground was cold from the rain - wet and dark. The beats thumped, coming from the inside, and the ground shook, smitten by the rhythm. 'Kordillo' – the hippest underground club and hang-around of everyone whose name you'd find on the top of the list of the 'Copacabana'.

Tom and Lewis stood outside, rubbing one leg against the other and holding on to their .45s, hidden in their pants - bodyguards straight out of a textbook. Yeah, they were blockheads, but they did their job well and for many consecutive years.

Retsuja dropped his stub to the floor and stepped down with his boot. His sword hung down his leg, embedded by a jet-black sheath. No more gray suits, he was switching to dark. A cashmere shawl graced his neck. Satsuro didn't bother with a fancy entrance – he just walked straight for the door.

Tom and Lewis merely smirked. They didn't even bother reaching for their guns.

"Looka here, sonny," Lewis growled, "The joint's off-limit for stray puppies like yourself. You'd be more welcome in the Kit-Kat club."

"That's two blocks that way," Tom joined in, "A nice place. They even like boys running around in kerchiefs."

Satsuro smiled. "I see you've each got a homeboy sitting in your shorts. Can I see it?"

Tom smirked. "Sure you can." He unzipped his pants and slid his hand into his undergarment.

"Where d'ya want it?" He laughed.

"I'll decide later."

Satsuro's blade slashed Tom's wrist and went right through his shorts, cutting everything in its way. Retsuja then twisted the Katana with his wrist and pointed its not-too-appetizing, awfully bloody tip at Lewis' gulping throat.

"What about yours?"

Lewis dropped his .45 to the ground, trying to keep his pants clean.

"Lead the way. Anybody freaks and you're the first to die, got it?"

Satsuro picked up the gun, shoved his blade back into his sheath and followed Lewis into the club. The rattle of a mean guitar, crossed with a hard, thumping bass was the first thing to greet them.

And then they entered.

The joint was jumping. Sweat. Smoke. Noise.

The dance floor was jammed with 24-hour party people.

A spiral staircase, set up in the middle, led to the owners.

Satsuro followed Lewis up the stairs - calm, indifferent, willing to keep it quiet.

The crimson red stagelights were blinding, drenching all color but the darkest of reds.

The two proceeded down a small bridge.

Underneath, the mosh pits looked so dense, you couldn't have squeezed a match between the ravers.

Lewis lifted his arm, about to knock on the manager door.

Satsuro pounded him in the kidneys, knocking him out.

"I'll take it from here."

Without losing a beat, Retsuja smashed the door with his foot.

A moment's hesitation cost one of the guards a head.

Satsuro wielded his gun towards a second guard.

The guard moved for his belt. Lousy timing. Bullets riddled his face.

"You do make a lot of noise, don't you?"

A man sat behind an oak-wood desk, scribbling something onto a piece of paper.

Satsuro pointed his gun at the man's head.

"Close the door, will ya, son?" The man muttered, annoyed.

"Fuck you for saying that."

Satsuro pressed the barrel against Hakata's forehead.

Hakata finally looked up.

"You came here to kill me? Fine! Kill me." He resumed his writing.

Outside the office, it seemed nobody even had the faintest idea about the shoot-out.

"If it ain't gonna be you, it's gonna be someone else. If not today, then tomorrow."

Satsuro calmly shut the door behind himself.

Hakata smiled, relaxing back in his chair. "Much better."

Satsuro still had him at gunpoint.

"Are you gonna –"

He lowered it, but kept the weapon in his hand. Tightly.

"Sit down."

"I'll stand."

"Whatever." Hakata took out a cigar. He smirked.

"Remember these?"

"Yeah."

"I bet you do." Hakata reached for his lighter.

Boom! Satsuro shot it from the desk. Hakata jerked back in his seat.

"Carry on like that, Hakata, and I really will shoot you."

Hakata smirked again.

"Fine. Point taken." He put his feet on the desk.

"I came here –"

"I know why you came here," Hakata cut him off, bluntly, "And I'd like to get right down to it. I need protection. Romeo split on my ass, followed some broad out to NY City. Fucking loser. So now my personal guard is gone. I need a new one. Your pay will be enough to buy out this club and a thousand more who look just like it. I take care of my people. Since we both had this… misunderstanding in the past, I'm giving you fifteen grand out front. Just like that."

Satsuro didn't even nod.

Hakata cleared his throat. "I see you've changed a bit, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I did… kill your parents, remember?"

"They weren't my parents."

"Right."

A pause occurred.

"So we're square now, huh?"

Satsuro smiled.

"I'm not gonna kill you. For now."

Hakata smiled back.

"I'm glad."

-

A/N: Vivienne's fate is yet unclear... until next chapter, that is ;)

P.S.: I'm thinking of posting a part of the story as a screenplay. If anyone's got suggestions, no matter what kind, just post them with your review.

Sincerely, E-E ;)


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